My Days Grow Short
by yunabesaid
Summary: The Pilgrimage takes nearly a year. What is life like when you're walking to your death, with your best friends by your side? Follow Yuna, Tidus, and the others in an unforgettable journey across Spira to save the world, or die trying. COMPLETE
1. Summoner's Birth

1 Summoner's Birth

I opened my bi-colored eyes, squinting against the rising sun. The morning light was peeking through the flap covering the entrance to Lulu's hut, which I'd stayed in since I was seven years old…I blocked the thoughts of my past out of my mind as I sat up.

This day was the day that would decide my fate; whether I had the strength to become a summoner, or not. I had spent years training for this day, six, to be exact. I knew that if I became a fully fledged summoner today, I would not be here in Besaid, or even here in Spira for much longer.

I stood and stretched, looking around the hut. Lulu was gone from her cot across the room, so I grabbed a piece of fruit and a small loaf of bread from the large basket by the door. I didn't bother to straighten my dress, which I had forgotten to change out of last night, and I'm sure I looked like a walking disaster, but no one cared.  
>I walked slowly through the small village, taking nibbles from the food as I went. People, all my friends, greeted me in the streets. A little boy ran by me, and shouted, "Heeeeeey! Come play Blitzball with me an' Wakka!" I smiled at him. "Sorry, Akrui, but I have business at the temple this morning." "Okay!" He grinned cheerfully as he dashed out of the village, in the direction of the beach.<br>"Whoa! Not so fast!" Luzzu grabbed Akrui's arm. "It's not safe on the road today. You should wait for Wakka and his Blitzers to come with you. It's dangerous to travel on the road alone, especially for a little man like you." The boy was indignant at this. "I'm not little! I'm nine years old! If you want to see someone who's little, look at my new baby sister! She's only a…" He looked up, counting on his fingers, and with his whole face scrunched in concentration. "fourfth of me!"  
>He was wrong, but that just made the exchange even cuter. Then, he ran off into the village, no doubt searching for Wakka. I smiled, thinking of the little girl who'd been born only a few days ago. This is what I would fight for. The innocence of children, and the unity of families. I wanted all children to have their own father, and their own mother. I didn't ever want anyone to have to be raised by the temple nuns again. I didn't want anyone to go through the pain I went through, without a mother or father.<br>The nuns were loving, but they could never replace real parents. I looked back towards the temple and saw Kimahri standing beside Lulu and Wakka, who was waving at me, beckoning me to come to them. I finished the last bite of bread as I took off running towards them. "Yo! Yuna! You gotta get ready! Almost time ya?" I heard more than just a hint of sadness underneath his attempt at cheerful demeanor. His words were happy, but his voice gave him away.  
>"Yes." Lulu looked at me. My soft white and sky blue gown was disheveled, and my hair was no doubt the same. "You should change into your new Summoner's clothes. We will be waiting inside the temple. Kimahri and I will guard; Wakka can spend this time training the team before the Blitzball tournament." Wakka scratched the back of his neck, what he always does when he feels guilty, uncomfortable, or embarrassed.<br>"It's okay, Wakka. I don't mind. Really!" "Ya? Thanks. May Yevon be with you." He did the prayer gesture, and then ran off through the village gate. I jogged back to Lulu's tent and pulled the treasured Summoner's outfit from the basket at the foot of my cot. I lifted it up, admiring the richly colored, flowing garment. The temple nuns made it for me. It was beautiful. I put it on, straightened my necklace and my hair, and looked myself over in the tiny handheld mirror that my father gave me before he left on his Pilgrimage ten years ago.  
>The mirror was my mother's before it was mine. Besides this, I had nothing left of her. I had decided to give the mirror to a certain, very precious girl who'd been like a little sister to me. Her name was Amai. I would do that after I officially became a Summoner, though. I thoughtfully fingered the blue, beaded braid that fell from my hair onto my right shoulder, and then folded the blue and white dress, gently placed it into the basket, and left the hut.<br>I reached out my hands and concentrated, and my staff materialized in my hands. Then, I walked toward the temple, feeling strange, and somehow, almost out of place in my Summoner's clothes. When I reached the temple, I took a deep breath and entered. I knew what I was about to do. I was about to doom myself to death, for Spira's hope and peace.  
>I wondered if I was ready for this. Doubt was trying to force itself into my mind, but I pushed it back. 'Yes! I am Yuna, daughter of High Summoner Braska! I will become a Summoner. I will defeat Sin. I must defeat Sin.' I mentally gave myself a pep talk, but it only half worked. When I walked into the temple, I was quickly greeted by Lulu and Kimahri. My mentor, Chie also met me at the entrance.<br>"Yuna, my dear, are you ready?" His question actually sounded more like a statement. "I am." I was very solemn, but I refused to let my feelings take over my mind. I would do this, no matter how I felt about it. "Let's go." Lulu said, her voice void of any emotion. Kimahri nodded but said nothing, and made no sound.  
>Chie placed his old, wrinkled hand on my shoulder. "Yuna. You are brave. I will pray for your safe return." I bowed my head. "Thank you. I will return." At the entrance to the trials, I knelt in prayer, asking that Yevon would guide my feet. Lulu and Kimahri followed closely behind as I stepped cautiously across the threshold, not really sure what to expect.<br>I had never been in a cloister before. It was forbidden for summoners and guardians to speak of what was found inside the mysterious chambers, all that was widely known is that the cloisters were often very dangerous. There was a door in front of me, with a sphere shaped recess in it. I let go of my staff, allowing it to disperse into a puff of smoke. I closed my eyes and concentrated, clasping my hands together until a ball of energy formed in my hand. I extended the ball to Lulu. Until I got stronger, I would have to use her powers to manipulate the elements. Someday I would be able to do the same. "Water, I think." I said softly.  
>She touched it, whispering something that sounded like the name of Yevon, mixed with the word water. The sphere changed into a ball of clear liquid, it looked somewhat like the Sphere pool which Wakka and the others play Blitzball in. I placed the sphere into the door's recess, and the door immediately slid open. I didn't like having to rely on Lulu for getting through the trials, but it would take another several months of training to hone my skills with creating elements. I'd just have to learn along my pilgrimage. I knew that the sooner I leave, the better, that way fewer people would die. What I didn't realize then is how I would always rely on my guardians, who were also my friends, no matter how strongly I felt that I needed to independent on this journey.<br>We continued to travel through the cloister, fighting against a few fiends of the people who had tried to pass through here before. We nearly reached the end, when the floor slid abruptly from beneath my feet, another trap, similar to many others that filled this cloister. I screamed, and Kimahri grabbed my arm, just before I fell into the pit of boiling water below.  
>The steam soaked my clothes in a matter of seconds, stinging my skin. Kimahri pulled me up, and I stood, leaning against the wall for a few seconds to catch my breath. "That was close." I said, putting my hand on my chest. "Too close." Lulu said, her voice flat, although I could tell that beneath her mask of calm, she was shaken. "Thank you, Kimahri." I said, nodding my head, and cautiously walking around the huge pit.<br>Once we reached the other side, we entered the anteroom, where I could hear a woman fayth singing her mournful hymn. I turned to Lulu and Kimahri. "Thank you." I bowed to them, and as they bowed back, I took a deep breath and approached the door to the chamber of the fayth. I closed my eyes and asked that Yevon would grant me passage. The door slowly slid open.  
>I stepped into the dark, dusty room, looking around in wonder. The door closed behind me, and my eyes fell to a statue of a young girl. I accurately guessed that she was the fayth. I vaguely wondered why her voice was that of a grown woman, but I decided that it was not important. I knelt, facing the statue. I was suddenly very nervous, wondering if I would be able to make it, to become a real summoner.<br>I prayed to Yevon, begging him to grant me the power to save Spira from its pain. I prayed and prayed, but there was no answer. With each passing second, my fear rose in me more, and though I tried to squelch it, it would not go away. There was not a sound besides the hymn, sung without cease by the woman's beautiful, haunting voice.  
>The air was hot and slightly damp, and I felt like the walls were closing in on me."Please!" I whispered. "I won't leave until you give me this!" Still, nothing happened. I prayed for many hours, until I grew weak from hunger and exhaustion. Still, I refused to give up. I continued beseeching Yevon, and when I was on the verge of passing out, the spirit of the young girl rose up from her statue in the form of a woman.<br>"You are brave, Yuna. You are now a Summoner. Please. Grant Spira the peace we long to bring." With that, she flew towards my chest, and I felt like my soul was being invaded. It hurt, and I felt dizzy. The room spun wildly around me, and I lost all consciousness. While I lay, unaware of anything, the sun set on the isle of Besaid, and a new day began as it rose once again.

As I blinked my eyes open, I was at first confused at my surroundings. It was hot and dark; I was soaked in sweat, and I felt faint. Then, I remembered where I was.  
>Joy, fear and grief mixed together in one strange emotion as I came the realization that I was truly now a real summoner. I slowly got to my feet, but my head swam. I wondered how long I had been asleep. I stumbled and fell to my knees, before crawling to the door. Using the wall for support, I stood up again.<br>While I was leaning against the wall, the door opened for me as a bright light flashed from somewhere deep inside the chamber. My eyelids drooped shut, and I could barely stand. I took a few steps forward, before falling headlong down the stairs.  
>I heard people gasp, before I was caught in someone's arms, right before I hit the stone steps. I looked at him. He was about my age, and he had a faint resemblance to Wakka's brother, Chappu, except he had blond hair, instead of their trademark bright red hair.<br>He helped me to stand straight, and then backed away from the stairs, leaving me standing there, looking at my guardians. I put my hands behind my neck, and flung the sweaty, sticky hair away from it, before surveying the scene.  
>It seemed that Wakka and whoever the blond guy was had come in at some point, and Lulu and Kimahri were still here. They were all staring at me, questioningly. I smiled. "I've done it. I've become a Summoner!"<br>It was a somber moment. It was as if I had just said 'I'm going to die to save the world!' It was happy and sad at the same time. Kimahri said nothing, as usual, Lulu just nodded. Wakka made a thumbs-up sign at me attempting a smile, but only managed to tilt the corners of his mouth upwards slightly.  
>The blond guy just looked confused. I felt much less dizzy, so I cautiously walked down the steps, but still stumbled a bit. The further I got from the chamber of the fayth, the more of my strength returned, though my mind was still fuzzy, I could hardly think.<br>I found that I was still too weak to walk far, so Kimahri carried me to the entrance, and then set me down before we left the cloister. The whole village was gathered in the temple, and when they saw me, there were murmurs and some clapping, but no one seemed especially glad.  
>Nevertheless, I smiled at them, although that was not my true feeling, I wanted to show them that I was strong, that I would be able to save them. I had to be able to save them.<br>I did a formal prayer gesture, and then they left the temple, clearing the way for me to leave. "Come, Yuna, we'll get you cleaned up." Lulu began to lead me towards our hut. When we left the temple, it looked to be around ten in the morning, by the sun's position.  
>Kimahri went into the jungle, probably to get himself some food, while Wakka took the blond guy to the Crusader's lodge. I figured he must be a visiting crusader, but I still wondered what his reason was for breaking the sacred forbiddance that anyone other than a summoner and guardians may enter the cloister of trials.<br>My mind was too tired to even think about the possibilities, so I pushed the thoughts aside for the time being. Lulu prepared a meal of gull meat and bread along with some fresh fruit while I bathed in a tub behind a partition at the back of the hut.  
>I washed my Summoner's clothes while I was bathing, and when I was done, I slipped into a simple white gown, and hung the clothes outside in the sunshine to dry.<br>We ate in silence, and I could tell that Lulu was, as usual, hiding any hints of tenderness behind a brick wall of silence. I smiled a bit as I ate, but I would have rather frowned.  
>When we finished, my clothing had dried in the hot, island sun, and I put it back on, and then went to the center of the village. When I stood there, waiting in the Summoner's circle, the place where new summoners would summon their first aeon, the people of the village saw me and gathered around.<br>When Wakka saw me, he ran into the Crusader's hut, and came back out, dragging the same blond haired boy with him. I smiled at the boy, and he smiled back. There was something oddly familiar about that lopsided grin.  
>By the time Wakka arrived, most of the village had come, and some others were standing at the entrances to their huts. And so I began. I closed my eyes, and prayed to Yevon, concentrating on one name, Valefor.<br>I twirled around several times, gathering the materializing pyreflies with my staff. When I stopped, I was standing in the center of the circle. As I lifted my staff towards the sky, a glyph appeared around me, and there was a blinding flash of light in the heavens.  
>I heard a roar as a large, dragon-like bird flew from the sky. She landed beside me, and I stroked her neck. The people clapped and made some "Ooh, ahh" noises, but they really didn't seem very happy…and I could understand why.<br>I dismissed Valefor, and the crowd slowly dispersed, some people whispering their care for me, and giving me some last words of wisdom. I tried hard to listen, but my mind was spinning in a hundred different directions at once.  
>These were the people I had grown up with, and each of them had left an imprint on my heart, each one had spent time teaching me, raising me. I no longer had father, or a mother, so, like the village had done with so many other orphaned children, they raised me.<br>I loved each one of them, and I knew that I would never see them again, come tomorrow. I walked back to Lulu's hut in silence; exhaustion was taking over my senses.  
>My forced smile was drooping, and my thoughts were moving towards more depressing things. I would never see my friends again, not even on the farplane. When I summoned the final aeon, it would meld my soul with its, and then my soul would cease to exist, so I would fade into nothing at the end of my pilgrimage, so said the teachings of Yevon.<br>I lay down on my cot, and darkness came over me as I got some much-needed sleep. I dreamed of the day of my father left.

I wept as my father said goodbye, and Jecht hugged me. Then he leaned back to look at me, grinning lopsidedly. He said, "Now, Yuna, there's no reason to cry! When Sin's gone, everything'll be alright!"  
>It came to me in that moment, I realized where I had seen the blond's smile before. It was the same as Jecht's.<p>

I woke, almost instantly forgetting my dream. I tried to remember, but the images faded from my mind until I had almost forgotten that I had dreamed at all.  
>I sat up and looked around. Lulu was sitting at the table talking to Wakka. "Yo! Sleepyhead! You gotta get up! We're hav'n a bonfire to, um, celebrate your success!"<br>I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and swung my legs off the edge of the cot. "Wakka, who's that blond guy who was in the cloister? Is he another summoner's guardian?"  
>Wakka scratched the back of his neck. "Uh…we don't really know who he is. He's not a guardian…he just kinda barged in. He thinks he's a Blitzball player from Zanarkand. Said somth'n about Sin attacking it. Probably got too close to Sin, and got his memory messed with."<br>I still didn't remember my dream, but something in the back of my mind was whispering that there was more to the boy than at first meets the eye. I wondered still if there might be a connection with the blond and Jecht, seeing as they had similar stories.  
>"Hm." I said, pretending to be uninterested. I fixed my hair and clothes and went outside. Some of the men where stoking the huge bonfire, adding large logs harvested from the jungle.<br>The fire reached a little higher than my head, and it gave off a stifling heat even at a good distance from it. I sat somewhere nearby, and watched the stars. Amai ran up to me, and in her adorable voice, she shouted, "Lady Yuna! Can you play with me?"  
>"Yes, but first, I have something for you." I pulled my mother's mirror from the fold in my obi, and handed it to her. "It was my mother's, and now, it's yours." She smiled as she took it, and then giggled as she looked at her reflection.<br>She was missing her two front teeth, and had a sweet button nose, long black hair, and large brown eyes. "Thank you, Lady Yuna!" She laughed again as she continued to gaze at herself. "You're welcome! Hey, would you like me to braid your hair?"  
>"Yeah!" I put her hair in a thick braid that fell over her shoulder, all the way to her waist. As soon as I had finished, Chie and his wife, Mame came to speak with me.<br>Amai ran off to show her friends the gift she'd received. "Lady Yuna," Chie started, "When that heathen boy went into the cloister, did he hurt you?" "I…" I started to speak, but Mame cut me off.  
>"He's a no-good-one, he is! I knew it from the moment I saw him! You'd better keep a close eye on that one!" Mame had gotten a bit eccentric from being so old, and seeing so much pain in her lifetime. I regularly had to remind myself to be patient with her.<br>"I know that he broke the precepts, Mame, but he seems to have forgotten them. I'm sure he didn't mean any harm." Mame wasn't even listening to me. "You heathen! Stay away from the summoner!" She shouted to someone behind me.  
>I turned and saw the young man who'd kept me from falling down the stairs earlier. I stood up, and turned to speak to him. "Lady Yuna!" Mame shouted. I turned back to her, saying, "It was really my fault to begin with."<br>I knew if I had waited longer to try to become a Summoner, I would have avoided making them all get so worried. "Be careful Lady Yuna." Chie said. "Come on." I said to the guy, as Mame cackled after me to stay away from him.  
>We walked to an unoccupied area by the bonfire. I turned to him, suddenly wondering what to say. "I'm Yuna…What's your name?" "Tidus! Nice to meet you!" There was an awkward silence, as we both gazed into the fire, and then I decided that a thanks was needed for him saving me earlier.<br>"Thank you so much for helping me earlier!" He scratched the back of his head, looking uncomfortable. "Ah, I'm sorry about that. Wasn't that…wasn't I not supposed to…I guess I kinda overreacted. I just got worried, and when no one else was gonna help, I felt like I should."  
>"Oh, that's alright. I was…overconfident. I really wasn't ready to try yet. It was really my fault. You didn't know, after all." There was another awkward silence, and then he spoke up.<br>"Um, I saw that aeon thing! That's amazing!" "Really? Do you think I could become high summoner?" He looked a little confused, and I realized that he probably didn't know exactly what I was talking about, considering how much he'd forgotten.  
>"Defeat Sin, I mean." "Oh! Yeah! You're great!" I smiled. Then I felt someone tug on my arm. I looked down to see Amai was standing there. "Lady Yuna, come play with me some more!" I nodded at her, before looking back at Tidus.<br>It looked like we would be seeing a lot of each other for a while, if he's going to Luca. "So, tomorrow, then." I said. He was befuddled. "Tomorrow?" "We're going on the same boat, aren't we?" I questioned.  
>"Oh, really? Cool!" A genuine smile formed on his face. "We can talk more, then!" 'I'd like to hear more about Zanarkand.' "Hm!" He nodded. I left him and went with Amai. I tried to make the most of every moment, knowing that my time here was coming to an end…<p>

TidusxYuna Always


	2. Saying Goodbye

2 Saying Goodbye

I woke up to the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air. I kept my eyes closed for a moment, drinking in the delicious smell and cuddling deeper into my thin blanket. Then I slowly opened my eyes and sat up, breathing deeply. All I really wanted to do was cover my head with my blanket and cry. I didn't want to leave, but I knew I had to. One side of my heart said not to, but the other told me to stop being silly and just except the fact that my path had been set long ago. The war going on in my mind was not evident on my face, as I grinned at Lulu, who was cooking on the tiny stove over in the corner of the hut.

"Mmmm! That smells delicious, Lulu!" She grunted at me, not unkindly, but I guess that's all she could manage. I folded my blanket and my cot, placing them, along with all my clothes except my Summoner's outfit, into a small wooden box. I placed my other few possessions in the box, intending to give the box to the temple nuns, to help with raising the other orphans. I wouldn't need them anymore. During a pilgrimage, most summoners live off the land and occasionally off the charity of wealthier Spirans. I kept out a recording sphere, tucking it safely into my obi.

I combed my fingers through my hair, and straightened my dress and my necklace. By the time I'd finished all this, Lulu was done making breakfast. She set two bowls of steaming rice and cinnamon porridge on the table, one for me, and one for herself. "Thanks Lulu." I cautiously placed a spoonful of it in my mouth, making sure that it wasn't too hot.

Her face was blank as she ate, she appeared to be completely calm, but I'd known her long enough to know that she was probably having just as much of an inner battle as I was. We once again ate in silence, and when I finished, I washed my bowl in the tub of hot water by the sink, and then carried my box of possessions to the temple.

Rui, one of the nuns who'd raised me, met me there. She had tears in her eyes. "Rui...I'll miss you." I struggled to keep tears from my own eyes. I had not cried since the day my father died, and I was not going to let myself now. "Lady Yuna! Look at you…you've grown so much. I still remember the day you came here…and now…now you're leaving!"

She burst into sobs, and I set the box on the floor of the temple, and hugged her. "Rui…It's okay. It's for the best. Who knows? Maybe this time Sin won't come back…maybe Spira could have peace forever." She sniffed and leaned away. "Yes. Of course, Yuna. You are brave. I'm so proud of you."

I smiled at her, and then gestured towards the box of things that I'd brought. "I brought some things that I…won't need." She sniffed again at my statement. "Oh. Thank you." I picked the box up, and followed her into one of the back rooms. Three other nuns sat in the room. I had known each of them ever since the first day that Kimahri brought me here. All of them had tears in their eyes, and the sight was so sad, I once again had to fight to maintain control over my sorrow. I hugged each of them, and they gave me their final goodbyes before I left the temple.

Standing near the center of the village was Tidus, Lulu, and Wakka. Tidus was holding the sword that Wakka had once given Chappu, before he left to join the crusaders…and never came back.

Chappu had left the sword on Besaid, choosing to fight with a machina weapon, instead. I wondered if the fact that Tidus looked similar to Chappu had prompted Wakka to give the sword to him.

He was smiling that lopsided grin again, and I struggled to no avail to remember where I'd seen it before. Wakka caught sight of me, and then waved, though his face held no smile.

I started to walk towards them, but then Amai ran towards me, her hair still in the braid that I had put into her hair the night before, albeit much messier. "Yunaaa!" she wailed, as she flew towards me, arms outstretched. I knelt down to catch her in my arms, and her salty tears dripped onto my bear shoulder as she wept.

"I…I'm gonna miss you-hoo-hooo!" She sobbed. "Don't worry, Amai. I'm going to bring peace to Spira. I'm going to kill Sin! I'm going to make it so that you won't have to be afraid of Sin attacking anymore."

I stroked her hair until her sobs calmed. I stood up. She took my hand in her tiny one, and looked up at me, her large, trusting eyes still filled with tears. "Thank you." She said, squeezing my hand in hers.

"You're welcome." I said. She didn't let go of my hand, so I continued to walk towards my guardians, leaning towards her as I walked, so that she could reach my hand.

Lulu was standing there, and despite her most obvious attempts to hide it, I could see that her eyes were red. Wakka looked down at the ground, swinging his arms uncomfortably.

I looked at Tidus, and our eyes met. He was more than confused, but he didn't say anything. We walked in silence, besides Amai's now-returning sobs, until we got to the entrance of the village.

When we did, I got down on my knees, once again fighting my tears, and I hugged her goodbye. "Be a good girl. Make your Mommy and Daddy proud."

She nodded, sniffing."Okay." Just as I was about to stand, several other children ran out from the berry bushes right inside the village. Akrui was their leader, and he held two small wooden sticks, tied together to be shaped like a sword.

Behind him, Hou followed, along with Itami, Ukiyo, Katai, and Nayami. Each of them had a similar weapon to Akrui. He ran up to me, his black, spiky hair bouncing as he seriously surveyed my guardians, and said,

"Nobody move! Yuna's not leaving!""Yeah! Nayami shouted, her bright orange braids swinging with her movements as she and her friends surrounded us, making similar comments.

My heart nearly broke. These poor children! I had been like a big sister to every one of them, just as Wakka and Lulu had been to me. "I'm sorry, but I have to go! I will save the world from Sin! Then, you little crusaders won't have to worry about fighting it anymore!"

I stayed in my kneeling position, and reached out my arms to hug them. They all dropped their toy swords at once, and ran into my arms, until I was being hugged by seven little children, the only children left surviving in the village, besides Akrui's baby sister.

I was once again reminded of just how important my mission was. They were all crying, and it took every ounce of willpower that I had to keep my own tears from spilling down my cheeks.

We stayed there for several minutes, until I finally stood up, and smiled bravely down at them. "Now, take good care of the village, and protect Akrui's sister! You can be her guardians!" They all looked around at each other, and began to shout in excitement.

I wished that adults could be distracted from their sorrow so easily. They waved at me as they ran off towards Akrui's family's hut, and Amai stopped to give me one last, wordless hug, before running off to follow her friends, shouting, "Hey! I want a sword!"

I looked at my guardians, and at Tidus. Wakka was clearly very upset. "Yuna…you sure you gotta do this? I mean…can't ya leave it for someone else?" I shook my head at him, though for a moment my throat had clamped shut, and I couldn't speak.

Lulu stood in silence, frowning slightly. Tidus was just bewildered, as seemed to be the usual. We stood in silence for a moment, and then I found my voice. "Well, let's go." I said with resolve.

We left village, and on towards the beach in silence. I went between Wakka and Lulu, with Tidus trailing behind. It was only a few minutes before a wolf fiend came charging at us.

Before any of us had a chance to even react in the realization that we were being attacked, Tidus ran up to the wolf and slashed at it as it leapt towards him. The wolf dispersed into pyreflies, Wakka and Lulu stared. I'm pretty sure that my jaw dropped. We were all wondering where he got such reflexes, knowing that we barely had time to register that we were being attacked, and he had already reacted.

He turned around, and when he saw all three of us just staring, he grinned, and waved his hand airily and said, "Blitzball!"

I was momentarily distracted from the sorrow, but it soon came rushing back. The same thing happened to Lulu and Wakka. We suddenly came out of our stupor and continued walking.

Later, a large bird fiend flew towards us. As Wakka was reeling back to throw his Blitzball, which Lulu had placed the element of water on, at the bird, Kimahri came diving down from the cliff above, landing on the bird's back. The bird slammed into the ground, and then Kimahri sliced it open with his razor sharp claws.

"Ohh!" Wakka seemed a bit annoyed that for the second time in the last ten minutes, his chance to prove himself as a guardian had been foiled by someone else. "Don't worry, Wakka! You'll get your chance!" I smiled, and even laughed a little, taking advantage of another momentary distraction.

"Kimahri ready." Kimahri stood up as the bird fiend dissolved and the pyreflies rose into the sky. I nodded at him, and then we continued to walk. I was feeling strangely prepared.

I knew that I was on the verge of tears only a few minutes ago, but the more I cared about the people I was leaving, the more I wanted to leave, so that I could save them.

We when we reached the beach, as we were walking towards the boat, out of the waves rose a water flan fiend. Lulu pointed at it, and whispered "Thunder!" which was her brief prayer to Yevon, asking for the thunder element.

I had only so far been able to ask for the element of blizzard, or ice.I shouted the prayer "Blizzard!" in my mind. I imagined what it would be like to have the ability to call for all of the elements. I knew I had to practice more, but it was kind of exciting to think about the results of my labor. I suddenly came back to the real world, and heard shouting.

"Ahh!" I looked behind me, and saw Tidus shaking his hand, which was stuck in a block of ice. Lulu looked at me, and for the first time this morning, she actually looked slightly amused.

She placed her hand on the block of ice, and whispered something under her breath. A tiny flame emanated from her palm, quickly melting the ice, before Tidus pulled his hand away, and began to rub his hands together, while blowing on them. I laughed sheepishly, and said, "Sorry! I still haven't quite learned how to control that!" He laughed back.

"It's okay! At least you didn't do that lightning thing, instead of ice!" Lulu turned to him, looking a bit peeved, and said, "It's thunder." She then turned and walked on towards the ship.

Tidus and I exchanged glances, and then Wakka grinned stupidly at me, before Lulu said, without even turning around to see what he was doing, "Stop smiling, Wakka!" It instantly fell off his face. Lulu knew him too well!

I looked back towards the ship, and to the people waiting there, who had just noticed that we had arrived, and suddenly all my happiness went away. I couldn't avoid thinking about it any longer.

I was leaving. I ran up to Chie, hugging him, and then Mame. Several other of the villagers where there, and we exchanged hushed goodbyes. Then, Tidus, Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri, and I, all walked onboard the ship, along with the Besaid Aurochs Blitzball team, and some other people who were traveling to Kilika.

With every step, my heart grew heavier. I thought of Amai. I thought of Mame and Chie. I thought of all the others that I was leaving behind. I realized that I was becoming dangerously close to crying, and I smiled instead.

As the ship pulled away from the dock, there stood half my village, waving, crying, and shouting goodbye. I did a formal prayer gesture, and, even though I knew that they wouldn't be able to hear me, I whispered quietly,

"Goodbye."

TidusxYuna Always


	3. Laughing Through Tears

3 Laughing Through Tears

I watched the villagers standing on the dock as they grew smaller and smaller in the distance. I just wanted to dive overboard and swim back to them. But I didn't. I stared until they completely faded from view, and then I turned and walked to the bow of the ship, gazing out into the sea towards our far away destination.

I leaned over the edge of the ship, staring into the water, watching the fish leap up out of it, their silvery bodies sparkling in the sunlight. As I stared into the glistening waves, someone came up behind me. It was a man. I looked at him, wondering what it was that he wanted.

"Uh…Lady Summoner, right?" "Yes, I am a summoner." The word Summoner tasted bittersweet coming from my mouth, and the price of claiming the title was weighing heavily on my heart. As I spoke, several other people approached, and I realized that I was in for a long boat trip.

"My lady Summoner! It is a pleasure to be traveling with you! I'm Daki!" "Lady Summoner!" "Lady Summoner!" These people were getting very excited. People were asking me questions, but no one waited for me to answer their questions before someone else asked another.

Seeing that no one was listening to me, I closed out the sound of their excited shouting, and just hoped that they would go away. "I…Please!" The people quieted, realizing that I hadn't said a thing. "I think that I need to have a moment alone…?"

They mumbled some things as they left me, breaking off into small groups. I once again leaned over the edge of the boat, wondering what this had been like for my father. Did he feel depressed? I turned around and leaned on the side of the boat, and watched the Aurochs practice Blitzball.

That reminded me. I wanted to talk to Tidus. I took a short walk around the ship. I noticed him across the way, just as he did a flip over some guy, grabbing the binoculars from his hands. Tidus landed on the side of the ship, and looked off in the distance, through the binoculars, towards Kilika, or, at least towards the way our ship was going.

I am pretty sure that we were too far away to see anything yet, even through binoculars. After staring for a few seconds, he started running along the rail with perfect balance, and the guy he'd grabbed the binoculars from followed behind while shouting. He didn't seem genuinely mad, though, and Tidus was laughing. I giggled a bit.

The sight was amusing, to say the least. Tidus paused, pointing the binoculars at me, and grinning, before tossing the binoculars back to the man. I waved at him, shouting, "Hey! Come over here!" "Kay!" He shouted, jumping down from his perch, and walking over towards me, as I went back to my place, staring out into the wind at the bow of the ship.

Once he arrived, I tried to piece together what it was that I was going to say. Something about him just made me feel a little tongue tied. Stalling for time, I said, "The wind…it's nice."

"Hmm." He nodded. I think we were both holding our breaths, and we were feeling pretty uncomfortable.

I started laughing at the silly predicament that we were in, and he quickly started laughing too, though I think he was mostly laughing at me, for laughing at nothing. It felt good to be laughing like I finally remembered what it was that I was going to ask him about, I said,

"You're a blitzball player, aren't you? From Zanarkand, right?"

His expression was hard to read. "Well…I think I am…I remember everything, but Wakka…he doesn't believe me at all." I wondered why not… Wakka never met Jecht, though. I'd never really mentioned Jecht to anyone before, choosing to forget my past as much as I could.

Most people hadn't believed Jecht, either, but I did. I believed Tidus, too. I stepped back away from the bow, and he turned to look at me. I smiled. "But, I believe you! You've obviously got talent!" I blushed a little. He grinned, and said jokingly, "Well, I was the star player of the Zanarkand Abes!"

I was startled, because now I just knew, there had to be a connection between the two! Jecht also said he was the star player of the Zanarkand Abes! I was about to ask about it, but something told me that it wasn't the time, yet. I laughed, and said, "Star player, huh!" "Yup!" He said, still grinning.

"I've heard that in Zanarkand, there's a huge stadium, with tons of lights and stuff, and they even play games in it at night!" As I spoke, his eyes grew wide. "Great Blitzball tournaments are held there, and the stands are always full." I was going to continue, but the look on his face made me stop talking. He stepped forward a bit, asking, "How to you know that? I thought that was a thousand years ago."

I smiled. "A man named Jecht told me…He was my father's guardian." He was obviously aghast with this new bit of information. Then look of disgust and anger showed itself on his face. My first thought was that maybe Tidus was rivals with Jecht, or something.

He whispered the name under his breath. "What is it?" I asked, getting more and more curious.  
>"My father...his name is Jecht!" he growled. I was shocked and amazed at the same time. I had met the son of my father's guardian! I did the prayer gesture, quickly thanking Yevon, while shouting, "Amazing! This must be the blessing of Yevon!"<p>

He was silent, and I just stood there, letting him think. His fists were clenched, and I couldn't help but wonder what had gone on between him and his father. After a moment of silence, he said quietly, "It sounds like him…but…it can't be." His voice sounded a bit sad. "Why not?" I asked.  
>He was silent for another moment, before saying, "My old man, he died. Ten years ago, off the coast of Zanarkand." I suddenly felt very stupid, realizing that I had brought up a raw subject.<p>

I turned away, saying, "I'm sorry." "He went out to sea to train one ten years ago…and never came back. No one's seen him since then."  
>"Ten years?" I said very excitedly. "That's when Jecht came to Spira! I first met him ten years, and three months ago!" my voice softened, remembering the painful day. "That's the day that my father…left. The date fits. Doesn't it?"<br>He looked like he didn't want it to be true. He shook his head, unbelievingly, saying,

"Ah…ha, ha. Yeah…but how would he get here?"

"Well… you're here…" He looked at me, defeated. "I guess…you win." He gave me a half-smile.

Then heard Lulu calling me. I turned around, and she was leaning out of the cabin, below the deck. "Yuna! Come practice your elements!" I said, "Later, then." as I went to see Lulu. "Later!" he waved.

I spent about three hours practicing elements with Lulu below deck, and I managed to get a few drops of water, along with plenty of ice, but nothing more than that. After a while, we decided that was enough practice for the day. I was beginning to feel hungry, so we went into the little galley, and met Tidus there.

When Lulu saw him, she leaned over and whispered briefly to me, "I've lost my appetite." With that, she swung around, and left. I felt bad for Lulu. I knew it must be hard for her to be with someone who looked so much like Chappu.

I looked at the very large plate that Tidus was carrying. My eyes grew wide as I saw the huge amount of food on it. Without thinking, I said, "Are you going to eat ALL that?!" He laughed, amused by my shock. "Yeah! Star Blitzball players gotta keep up their energy, you know!" I giggled, and spoke to the cook, pointing to Tidus' plate.

"I'd like about…an eighth of that, please." The cook grinned, and spooned me up some of the slightly-less-than-appetizing looking bean stuff. Tidus and I walked out together, still chuckling about our portion size differences.

We walked to the edge of the ship. He jumped up onto it, expertly balancing his very full plate, then sat with his legs hanging over the over the water. I leaned on the side, saying,

"If I tried to do that," referring to his pose, "I would probably end up spilling all of my "food" into the sea, and then falling in after it."

We both laughed, and then ate, making a few comments, although I think both of us were avoiding the subjects that we'd spoken of this morning. At that moment, a Blitzball came flying towards me, with Datto shouting, "Sorrreeee!" I stood still in shock, things almost moving in slow motion as the Blitzball prepared to smash the last of my lunch onto my face.

Suddenly, Tidus' hand shot out, caught the ball, and flung it back to Datto, all in one, swift movement. I think just about everyone on deck saw what had happened, and suddenly, the deck was filled with laughter. Datto pinched the bridge of his nose in self-consciousness.  
>"Uh…sorry 'bout that Lady Yuna!" I smiled at him, while snickering and trying to swallow my mouthful of food, before it all came out of my mouth from laughing. I though of how I wanted my journey, my last days, to be full of laughter.<p>

I looked at Tidus, and realized that he was staring at me, and I quickly looked away, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. Once the laughter had worn off, and we'd finished lunch, I decided to take a nap below deck. The emotional roller coaster I'd been on, along with trying to create elements for three hours had drained me.

When I got up, I went above deck. It seemed to be pretty late at night, maybe nine or ten. When I rounded the corner to be looking towards the bow of the ship, Tidus was there, doing a series of back flips and fancy looking jumps, while bouncing a Blitzball back and forth from the deck to himself, before kicking it with perfect aim, into the open doorway to the under-deck cabin. There was a thunderous crash, and then some guy walked out shaking his fist, before turning around muttering under his breath and slamming the door, as Tidus shouted behind him, "Sorry!"

I laughed at the man's antics, and Tidus jumped a little; he must not have realized that I was there. By the look of that shot he'd just done, he was obviously incredibly skilled at Blitzball, and, his style looked similar to his father, Jecht's style. I decided not to mention him though, not wanting to make him feel sad.

"Hey, you're really good at that! What's that shot called?" "Thanks! That shot's called Blitz Ace. I kinda just made it up…" He laughed a bit, and I laughed too. I walked towards him a little, glad that we'd finally gotten a chance to talk without other people bothering us. I wanted to ask him more about Zanarkand, but I didn't want to embarrass him around all those people who didn't believe him.  
>"So, can you tell me more about blitzball, and Zanarkand?" "I can tell you just about anything you want about Zanarkand! Whad'ya wanna know?""Maybe, about…" I was cut off, as a blitzball came flying from behind us, hitting Tidus in the back of the head, from the deck above.<p>

"Heeey! It's past your bed time, you two!" Wakka grinned at us from above, and Lulu was standing beside him. I was beginning to feel like it was Wakka and Lulu's goal to make it so I couldn't hear more about Zanarkand. "I just got up!" I playfully whined back.

"Yuna, you need to rest up. We should be at our full strength at all times. Traveling by sea is dangerous; Sin could attack at any time. We need to be ready." Lulu had a good point.

"Well, I guess we can talk tomorrow then." we started towards the cabin, and once we were inside, Tidus laughed. "So, who do they think they are? Our parents?" He put his hands on his hips, and puffed out his chest, frowning, and deepening his voice, trying to speak with Wakka's accent. "It's time you two little children went to sleep!" We both laughed, then said goodnight as we parted ways for the evening.

As I pulled myself into my hammock and snuggled into my blanket, I reflected on the events of the day. I never knew that I could laugh so much on the day that I left on my pilgrimage. I'd imagined it to be glum, and depressing. It probably would have been, if it had just been Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri and me.

Something about being with Tidus just made me laugh. It was strange, and I didn't know how to explain it, but anything to help me smile was welcome. As I dozed off to sleep, I felt at peace, even though I knew that I was heading towards my death.

TidusxYuna Always


	4. Ending Before it Began

4 Ending Before it Began

It had been only four days since I'd entered the cloister of trials back on Besaid, yet it felt like so long ago.

I lay on my hammock; the sunlight was spilling brightly through the portholes. I stayed in the hammock, letting it slowly swing me back and forth in sync with the ship being tossed in the waves, and I covered my face with my blanket, trying to go back to sleep.

I knew that as soon as we landed, we'd have to get up early every morning, and stay up late into every evening, trying to travel as far as possible every day. I enjoyed the chance to get some extra rest, even though I couldn't sleep. When I finally rolled out of my hammock, I could see that I was the only person left in the cabin. I stepped out into the hall, where I'd said goodnight Tidus the night before. There were a few people loitering around, but no one I knew. I wandered out onto the deck, and as usual, Wakka was going over blitz techniques with his team. Tidus was standing nearby, looking rather amused. Lulu didn't seem to be around. I'd noticed that she'd been especially withdrawn lately. I decided that I should go find her. As I walked around the lower level of the ship, I watched the people milling about. I could feel a slight tension in the air, reminding me of what Lulu had said the night before. Traveling by sea is dangerous. Sin can ambush us at any time with little or no warning.

Everyone on board knew that every moment we were on the sea was another moment that Sin could attack. I felt a little sick to my stomach at the thoughts, but I pushed them from my mind, and continued to look for Lulu. I didn't find her on the first level of the deck, so I went up to the second level, where there was just a raised balcony, about half the size of the rest of the ship. Lulu was standing on its deck, alone, gazing out to sea. When she heard me approach, she turned around to look at me.

"Yuna." She seemed at a loss for words. I stood there silent for a moment, and when I realized that she wasn't going to say anything else, I spoke.

"Lulu…I know that you've been having a hard time recently…would it help to tell me about it?"

She gazed at me, her eyes boring holes into mine. Finally, she said,

"That boy. Tidus. He looks so much like Chappu. I thought that I was over him. I guess I was wrong." She turned away from me, and gazed silently out over the blue water. As I looked into the blue sea, my mind wandered to the blue eyes, sea blue eyes, which belonged to Tidus. As soon as I realized what I was thinking, I pushed him from my mind, focusing instead on Lulu. Although her voice had been calm, her words betrayed her true feelings. She missed Chappu, perhaps much more than she had let on. It had been a year. Wakka and I had still not been able to completely let the pain go, and now, Lulu was revealing that she too, still missed him. I thought back to the day he left. The image of the ship pulling away from the dock at Besaid was still burned into my mind, I could see every detail as if it was happening all over again right in front of me. He had been planning to come back in six months. Six months passed, and then another, and another, until finally a ship came to Besaid, only, it wasn't carrying Chappu. It was carrying Luzzu and Gatta. They had left Besaid with Chappu, and then, they came back, without him. They told us that Chappu had been killed by Sin, and that he was found on the shores of Djose. Lulu wouldn't speak to anyone for three days, and then, she went back to normal, as if nothing had ever happened. Wakka and I didn't understand it, but we knew how much the two had cared for each other, so, we were just glad that she had been able to move on. Now, I find out that she hadn't."Yuna."

I snapped back to reality, realizing that I had been staring into the water, thinking. I blinked a few times, before meeting her gaze. "Yes?"

"Don't get too close to him. It will only cause more pain…in the end. I don't trust him, and you shouldn't either." With that, she walked briskly past me, her heels clicking on the wood deck. I stared after her until she had gone down the stairs, and I couldn't see her anymore. I turned back towards the bow of the ship, and leaned on the edge, once again losing myself in thought, gazing into the sparkling water. I don't know how long I stood there. I thought for hours. Every moment I wanted to think about what she had just told me, but I forced myself to think of other things. I wanted to trust him…so, I refused to allow my mind to dwell on Lulu's advice, and I wondered instead, about the future. I already knew what was in store for me, but what about the rest of Spira? I wondered if I could really defeat Sin for good. If I did, I wondered what it would be like, after that.

The thoughts brought a smile to my face. My mind wandered from thing to thing, wondering what could have been, if Chappu had survived. I was so deep in thought, that I didn't hear Tidus coming up the stairs behind me. I jumped, startled, when he said, "Hey."I looked back at him, without saying anything.

"You okay?" He frowned a little. "Hm. I was just thinking." "Thinking? Care to talk about it?" He came to my side, leaning on the rail, facing towards me. I remembered what Lulu had said, and my mind once again wandered, agonizing over what I'd been avoiding for the last few hours.

I wondered how close was too close, if we could still be friends. And I did trust him, there was no getting around that. I came out of my thoughts just as fast as I had retreated into them, and, he was still there, looking at me expectantly, waiting for my answer.

I decided that since Lulu was older and more experience that I was, I should take her advice and be on the safe side.

"I…uh…it's nothing…" Really, I wanted to tell him all about everything that I was going through, and I wanted to know more about him, how he got here, what his life was about before he came here, but I realized that Lulu was right. I shouldn't get attached to anyone; I was just going to die. A reserved acquaintanceship should be the most of a relationship that I have with anyone, except my guardians…and besides that, he probably wouldn't stay with us after we got to Luca.

I realized that for the second time, I had been staring off into the distance, while thinking, and I had almost completely forgotten that he was even there. I shook my head slightly, and tried to think of something to talk about that wasn't too personal, but that we were both interested in.

So…I guess we can finally talk about Zanarkand."I smiled because I didn't want him to worry. And, I really was interested in Zanarkand, as it was, when he and Jecht had lived there.

"So! What do you want me to tell you about first?" I thought for a moment. What I most wanted to know about was Tidus and his Father, but I knew that I probably shouldn't ask. "Blitzball! What is it like in Zanarkand? From the star player's point of view, of course! " I tried to be lighthearted. He was obviously pleased with my choice, his bright, lopsided smile showed it.

"Blitzball! My favorite subject! Blitzball in Zanarkand is, as far as I can tell, pretty similar to Blitzball here. Except, it seems like your team has some…trouble." I smiled, knowing that he was referring to the well known fact that the Besaid Aurochs was not exactly the greatest team in Spira. In fact, they were probably the worst.

"We have…" He paused, and sadness showed on his face "had many Sphere pools in Zanarkand, so we usually practiced in one of them, but sometimes we'd practice in the sea…that's how my old man disappeared…" There was a brief silence, and then suddenly, the boat rocked wildly. I started to fall over, but Tidus grabbed my hand before I toppled over the edge of the deck. He was holding onto the rail with one hand, and holding onto me with a death grip with his other. Things seemed to move in slow motion as I realized what was happening. People were screaming "SIN!" on the deck below, and there was panic everywhere. The ship bucked and tossed in the water as Sin bombarded us with its spawn, which were shooting their sharp, poison tipped spines at us. One of the spawn hit Tidus, cutting deep gashes in his chest, and he let out a pain filled shout as his hand lost its hold on mine. I screamed, and at the moment that the spawn hit Tidus, Sin rammed its body into the side of the ship, flinging me over the edge of the upper deck. I fell to the deck below, slamming painfully into the wooden boards. One of the boards snapped, and the sharp wood sliced into the back of my neck. Blackness came over me, I gasped for breath, just in time for a wave to crash over me, and I inhaled the salty water. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't feel anything. The terrorized cries faded into silence, and I lost consciousness.

Soon I awoke. Panic filled me as I struggled to find oxygen. My mind was screaming for me to breathe, but I couldn't. While I was fighting desperately to take in air, my lungs were pushing the water that I had inhaled out. Blurry images appeared, and I tried to blink the water from my eyes, but darkness started to cover the images again, before I was hit hard in the chest, forcing the last bit of water out, and I was finally able to gasp in air. I coughed and breathed, over and over again, and as my vision cleared, Tidus was standing over me. Blood was flowing freely from his chest, his face was strained from pain, and he looked worried. I still heard screams, and I was hit by another wave. When I could see again, I couldn't see him. I had managed to keep from inhaling the water this time. I forced myself to stand on my wobbly legs, and I struggled to reach the railing. I took in my surroundings, and realized that I had only passed out for a few seconds. I saw Sin's fin, risen out of the water; it was massive. Just the fin itself was easily ten times the size of our ship. My hope was fading fast. Salty water splashed into my eyes, and I began to realize that I would probably die before ever getting a chance to summon the final aeon and bring peace to Spira. I watched the chaos unfolding all around me; screaming people, sin's spawn running everywhere, attacking them, and my guardians trying to fend them off. Then, one of the spawn leapt at me, cutting me badly with it's claws. I cried out in pain, and fell over, losing my grip on the railing, once again hitting the deck. The spawn was preparing to deliver the death blow when it was hit by a flash of blue, and flung across the deck. I looked up, and saw Tidus. We exchanged glances, before he ran back into the fray to finish the job. I saw his steps falter, I knew that he was losing a lot of blood. If he didn't take a break, he might pass out, or worse. Across the way, I saw someone preparing to shoot Sin with the ship's harpoon. People were yelling something about Kilika, and Sin. I watched as Wakka shouted, while still fighting,

"No! Wait! Stick a harpoon in em, and will we'll all get dragged under! There's a summoner on board!"

One of the men at the harpoon looked back at us, I could see the terror in his expression."Our families are on Kilika!" He turned back to the harpoon preparing to shoot. Another man at the other harpoon turned to Wakka.

"We've gotta distract it! Forgive us, Lady Summoner!" He looked towards me, asking my permission. There was a brief battle in my heart. What was truly the right thing to do? Should I say to seal the absolute death tole on my life now, along with all of the peoples' on the ship, for the people of Kilika? Or should I say to sacrifice the Kilikans' lives, along with my own later, for all of Spira? My heart pounded wildly, I had no idea what was the right decision. Either way, more people than just myself would have to die. I realized that I might never make it to the ruins of Zanarkand anyway, so I should save the people that I can, now. I nodded my head, and I gave up all hope. I was going to die to save the people of Kilika. I had failed, almost before I had even began.

TidusxYuna Always


	5. When People Die

5 When People Die

"Hold on!" One of the two men at the harpoons shouted. The other one tensed his muscles and let out a short battle cry, preparing to shoot.

"One, two, THREE!" Both men grunted as they jerked back on the triggers to the harpoons. Two large, sharp spears flew towards Sin's fin, and embedded themselves deeply between its tough scales. There was a thunderous roar as Sin swam forward. Our ship was flung about in the sea, the water was churning around us. Though we couldn't see Sin's body beneath us, I could feel the huge monster swimming below us, its movement causing the water to boil. The people were howling their prayers to Yevon as they clung to the edges of the ship, and some couldn't hold on. I watched a small child be flung into the sea and disappear under the water. People were rolling across the deck, trying desperately to grab onto anything in sight. Sin pulled us along, and the wind pounded against my body. My heart felt like it was in my stomach, we were flying along at a speed faster than I had ever gone on anything, even a chocobo. Sin didn't pull us under the water, it simply kept swimming at full speed towards Kilika. The sail of the ship tore down the middle from the pressure. The sea water was spraying into my eyes and mouth and nose, and I could hardly see. I don't know how long we went on like that. We clung to the ship for our lives. I heard people screaming and crying. Suddenly, there was a loud crack, and the ship bounced wildly in the sea before the water around us finally calmed. After a moment, I released my grip on the side of the ship as I realized that Sin was gone. I could see Kilika in the distance, and I saw that the harpoon's anchor had been torn from the ship's deck. Sin must have torn it out when it swam away. I looked around and saw that all my guardians seemed to be alright, but there were many injured civilians lying on the deck in heaps, and I didn't see Tidus anywhere. The dead bodies of Sin's spawn dissolved into pyreflies and flew off, disappearing into the sky. I scanned my surroundings, and then ran to the nearest injured person, kneeling down and laying my hands on her forehead. I prayed, begging Yevon to heal her wounds. After several moments, I felt a sharp pain in my side, and I groaned, while keeping my hands firm. After several seconds, the pain subsided, and the woman opened her eyes. She had been healed. I ran from body to body, healing the wounded. When I came to a young man, he was lying in a pool of blood, gasping. I prayed, but it was no use. After several more gasps, he didn't take another breath, he died, drowning in his own blood. I bowed my head in mourning briefly, before continuing on, healing as many as I could. Though I tried the squelch the fear, it was rising in me. I knew that Tidus had been bleeding badly. I wondered if he had made it.

Wakka was getting nervous too. "Yuna! Where's Tidus? He's gone!" I knew that if he had fallen into the sea, there was nothing I could do to help him, so I just kept running from person to person, healing them. I blocked all thoughts of him from my mind, knowing that if my mind wasn't completely focused on my prayers to Yevon, I would not be able to heal the wounded. As I traveled through the broken, torn bodies, I saw a young girl who had been shot by several poisoned spines, and she hadn't made it. I felt sick when I looked at her.

The girl must have been only about five years old. My eyes stung, but I tried to ignore the grief, to get used to it, knowing that I would see much more of this until I was able to bring peace, to defeat Sin. Kimahri saw that she was no longer living, and he silently carried her over into a corner of the ship and laid her with the growing pile of bodies of those who had died. As I traveled through the bodies, healing them, I came upon a heap of several people. I gently pulled the person off the top of the pile, healed him, and continued to heal each person, one at a time. I was feeling very weak, each time I healed someone, their pain was transferred to me while I was healing them. The pain drained my strength, but I knew that there where only a few people left to heal. Most of the people that I had already healed where still dazed, but the captain had remained miraculously uninjured, and so we continued to move towards Kilika, though it was slow, because the sail was so severely torn. I rolled the last person from the pile over onto his back, and was shocked to see Tidus. He was so terribly injured and that he was almost unrecognizable. I covered my mouth, and gasped, before sighing in relief at the fact that at least he was still on the ship.

I placed a shaking hand on his forehead and started to pray. With every passing second, my pain grew, until I could hardly stay upright. My whole body was shaking, until finally the feeling slowly ebbed away, and I toppled over, exhausted. I lay there, staring up at the cloudless blue sky. I was in total shock, now that I finally had a chance to slow down and realize what had happened. We had cheated death. We were alive…most of us. I would be able to continue my pilgrimage to bring peace to Spira…

I fell asleep lying on the deck, but I was soon awakened by Wakka, shouting. "L-Look at dat! Sin's attacking Kilika!"There were terrified shouts coming from the bow of the boat. I sat up, and the ship was starting to tip slightly forward, because everyone on the ship except the captain was at the bow of the ship, looking towards Kilika. Floating in the air, some ways away from Kilika, was Sin. Sin was almost as large as the whole island. It was gathering water from the sea around itself into a massive sphere. Once the sphere had grown to twice the size of the Kilika, the water flew in a massive tidal wave across the island. We were too far away to see the results, but now doubt, many people died in those brief moments. Once the attack was over, Sin swam into the sea, and disappeared. The ship was filled with sorrowful wails and crying people. I retreated into a corner, and sat, staring into nothing, trying to escape from the horror that was constantly unfolding around me. The constant death and fear that had been going on for the past thousand years. Someday, maybe, I could end it. Eventually, the sound of mourning quieted and all was silent, except the lapping of the waves on the sides of the ship. People were sprawled out all over the ship, all of us were drained from the day's ordeals. As I gazed around, my eyes fell on Tidus. He too leaned against the side of the ship, staring hard at the wood deck, frowning. He appeared to be okay. We all continued to sit in silence for several hours. So many thoughts passed through my mind, though every time a thought replaced the one before it, I forgot the previous one. I could hardly think, my mind was spinning, my whole body stung from the healings. Without meaning to, I announced my thoughts.

"I will defeat Sin. I must defeat Sin."Though my voice was barely above a whisper, I might as well have shouted it because of the silence around us. I received a few grateful glances, but nothing more.

When we finally arrived at the dock at Kilika, or, what was left of it, the sun was setting. The water was red with the blood of all those who had lost their lives that day, and with the sunset, the whole sea was the same scarlet shade. It sickened me, but I made sure to appear tranquil, knowing that if the people could see a Summoner who still had hope, even after all this, maybe it would bring them some small measure of peace. Once the ship's ramp lowered, I walked slowly onto the dock. It seemed as though there was still some survivors, though not many. An elderly couple approached us, stepping over small gaps in the wooden boards the made up the tattered dock. "Greetings. I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the temple in Besaid."

I noticed now that the woman was crying, clinging to her husband's arm. Now that they were up close, I could also see that both of them had many minor cuts and scrapes, and the man seemed to have a broken arm. It was hanging limp by his side, and was badly bruised and bleeding a little. As I was taking in the sight, the man began to speak.

"M'lady Summoner. Thanks be to Yevon." His voice was strained, as if he wanted to break down and cry, like his wife beside him. She looked at me through her tear filled eyes, but said nothing. I was suddenly afraid, realizing what I must now do. Forcing myself to remain diplomatic, I forced out the words. "If there is no other summoner here, please allow me to perform the sending."

The woman perked up a bit at hearing this, and a very small smile grew on the man's weathered cheeks. "Thanks be to ye." The woman nodded, agreeing with her husband. "Our loved ones…we feared they would become fiends." I shook my head, reassuring her that they would not. I turned to Wakka and the others. "Please. Bring the dead. I can send them with the others." Wakka nodded sadly at me, and he placed his hand on Tidus' shoulder. "C'mon."

Tidus followed him along with the blitzball team and a few other men back onto the ship. More of the village folk had gathered at the dock by now, gazing through teary, curious eyes at the summoner and her party. Some were carrying their dead, and others were carrying injured. Most were already dead, though. I hurried over to the small group, and placed my hand on the forehead of a small boy, bracing myself for the pain. I prayed, but I felt no pain. I struggled, squeezing my eyes shut and concentrating as hard as I could. After several moments, I realized that I did not have enough strength left. I rose shakily to my feet, and quietly spoke, though my words rang out like a gong in the group of silent villagers.

"I…do not have the strength to heal. I…I may be able to perform a sending, though." If I could not, I didn't even want to imagine what would happen. The people let out cries of surprise and fear, and a woman let out a shriek of despair, before clamping her hand over her mouth and whimpering. I looked around at the people before quietly saying, "I…um, I need to perform it on water."

This caused gasps and whispering among the group, but no one said anything to me, for a moment. The elderly man looked at me, as if checking if I was sane. "On…water?" I nodded silently, feeling the stares of just about everyone there. The man finally nodded."This way. We placed the dead in the sea, hoping to delay their change into fiends, not knowing when the next summoner would come through. You can perform the sending immediately." He led me across the dock to a place where there were many bodies, perhaps a hundred, laying in the water. I grew sick, and struggled not to retch as I slipped off my boots. My hands were shaking, and my whole body felt weak. I forced myself to continue, reminding myself over and over again that this is the very reason why I must continue. Iwaited as the people gathered around. Tidus walked by me, carrying the small girl who had been on the ship when we were attacked. Our eyes met. His face was stony, his jaw clenched tight, but his eyes were red, and a single tear ran down his cheek. He laid the girl in the water, and then stepped back away from it, leaning against the railing of the dock. I nodded at Lulu, and she slowly nodded back, her face cold and emotionless, as always. I slowly walked out onto the water. I heard gasps behind me, but I ignored them. I prayed, begging Yevon to give me strength, fighting the doubt that was clouding my mind. I tried to close out all thoughts, other than those of the sending that I was about to perform. Each summoner must learn their own sending; only people destined to become summoners by Yevon are able to perform sendings. I had seen my sending one night in my dreams, and when I woke up that morning, I went to the seashore with Wakka, and I went out onto the water to perform it. Chie had told me that it was the only summoning that he had ever seen to be performed on water. Everyone, including myself was shocked that I was able to stand on the water, but some things simply cannot be understood. My staff materialized in my hands, and I danced.

Wakka placed a hand on my shoulder, and he guided me back towards the ship with him. The Aurochs followed us, along with some other men. As almost always in this strange and terrible world, I did not know what was going on. I didn't know what a sending was, and quite frankly, I was afraid to know.

I followed Wakka, and he led us to the pile of bodies, people who had died earlier in the day. Wakka leaned down and picked up the limp, dead body of a man, and the others each picked up a body. I stood there, numb, staring at the sickening sight. When everyone had left the ship, there was one person left lying there, a young girl, no older than five.

I felt nausea boiling in my stomach, and I ran over to the edge of the ship and heaved what little food I had left in my stomach out into the sea. When I saw how red the water was, with the blood of the village, I retched again, but nothing came out. I leaned on the side of the ship, weak. I realized that they were probably waiting for me, so I stumbled over to the girl's mangled body and carefully lifted her in my arms. She was cold and stiff. I felt my eyes burning with tears, and my father's jeering words haunted my mind, I could hear him as if he was standing right next to me. _"What, boy! You gonna cry again? What? Is it important this time?" _I growled into the air under my breath, "Yeah, it's important! People are dying!" once again his voice entered my thoughts.

"_Heh! Dying, huh! Why don't you do something about it? Oh, I forgot, all you can do is cry!"_

"Shut up!" I hissed. There was silence. I thought to myself that I must be going crazy.

True to what my father said, my eyes filled with tears, and I managed to blink most of them away, but one slipped down my cheek. It felt like acid, proving my father's scornful insults. I clenched my jaw hard, and tried to remain calm as I approached the group of villagers, mourning the deaths of their families and friends.

I reminded myself that I wasn't the one suffering here. They were. I had no right to be sitting around, crying like a baby while they helplessly watched their lives fall apart around them. I should help them, and be strong. I made the decision right then and there. I was going to do anything I could to help them. Suddenly, I realized that maybe I had come here for a reason. Maybe I was here because I could do something to truly help them.

I reached the group and saw Yuna sitting on the dock, taking her boots off. She looked up at me, pain evident in her eyes. I tore my gaze away, hoping that she didn't notice my tear, but I was sure she did. I gently laid the girl's body in the water along with maybe a hundred others, another wave of nausea coming over me, and I struggled to hide it. I stepped back, and leaned weakly against the dock as Yuna approached the water.

TidusxYuna Always


	6. Healing and Pain

6 Healing and Pain

As she walked towards the water, she spread out her arms, and her blue and gold staff appeared in her right hand. Though she had been shaking only moments ago, her movements were now slow and fluid. When she reached the water, she didn't stop, she simply stepped onto it, and kept walking. I was astonished, to say the least. It suddenly occurred to me to wonder if she was actually human. No human I had ever heard of could walk on water. By the gasps of the people around me, I knew that I wasn't the only one surprised. I decided I'd ask her about it later. I'd just watch, for now.

She kept her gaze forward, not looking at the people lying lifelessly beneath her feet. Once she had walked quite a ways out onto the water's glistening, red surface, she began a flowing, mournful dance. Almost as soon as she started, small, glowing spheres began to rise from the water were the people lay. The villagers who were gathered around continued to cry, and I watched in horror as the bodies of the dead began to disappear. As Yuna continued to dance, the people slowly disintegrated into the glowing spheres, and flew off into the darkening sky. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew that it was a horrible thing.

A woman who had been crying near me covered her face with her hands and fell to her knees as she watched a man lying nearby in the water disappear. I clenched my fists, feeling angry, but I didn't know why. Almost as soon as the anger began, it faded into deep sorrow. Once Yuna finished her dance, she walked back to the shore, and as soon as her feet touched the dock, she stumbled and fell. While the villagers kept a distance away from her, Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri and I all ran to her. "She is weak. She needs to rest. This is too much for her, too soon." Lulu's voice was clipped, and I heard something that might be emotion in it. I saw Wakka's face, and realized that he had been crying. His eyes were bloodshot, and there were smeared tear tracks on his face. Seeing this, I glanced again to take a better look at Lulu. Her eyes were red as well, but no tears were on her face. I suddenly did not feel so ashamed of my own weakness. Still, I held back the waterfall that wanted to erupt from my eyes, and focused my attention on the Summoner who was lying at our feet. I knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yuna…are you okay?" Her eyes slowly opened, and she winced in pain before struggling to sit up. She nodded slowly. "I'll be fine." I nodded her, taking her hands and helping her to stand up. She gasped slightly and almost fell again, but I caught her and let her lean on me, so that she could stand. Lulu came up behind her and stroked her hair, peering at me over her head. Anger flashed briefly in her eyes, but she spoke gently to Yuna.

"Yuna, you must rest. Perhaps tomorrow you can try to heal the others." Yuna nodded, saying

"Hm." She tried to take a step forward, but stumbled, only to have me catch her again. Lulu gave me another disapproving look. The blue beast who had been standing nearby approached and lifted Yuna into his arms without a word. Wakka had been speaking with one of the nearby villagers, and she approached us walking alongside him. "I own one of the village inns." She sniffed, wiping tears from her cheeks, "You can stay there for the night."

Yuna nodded at her from Kimahri's arms. "Thank you."

My head was spinning, I could hardly see. I had no idea that performing a sending could be so difficult. I had danced the sending thousands of times before, but I had never actually sent someone, let alone over a hundred people. Now, I had to be carried by my faithful guardian, Kimahri, because I was too weak to stand.

I was a summoner, Spira's hope, and here I was being carried by my guardian because I was too weak to walk. I felt like such a loser. Though I was discouraged, I realized that I would grow stronger with time.

I clutched Kimahri's arm, squeezing my eyes shut, and pressing my forehead on his shoulder, fighting tears. The intense desire to save Spira came crashing over me all over again, I was drowning in it. I wanted nothing more than to save this world from its sorrow.

When we finally reached the inn, Kimahri carried me into a room, and laid me on the bed. He looked at me careingly, as a father would to his daughter. This brought another wave of sorrow over me, remembering the father I'd been missing for the last ten years. But I smiled up at him as I curled my sore, exhausted body into a ball, and I fell asleep

Pain. I groaned, almost completely unable to move. I opened my eyes, squinting against the sunlight, coming through the open window. Lulu was standing by the window, having just opened it. Slowly, stiffly, I forced myself to sit up, smiling through the pain at Lulu.

"Good morning." She looked at me blankly, her eyes saying _"No, it isn't a good morning. Don't you remember what happened yesterday?!" _I squeezed my blanket in my fists, staring down into my lap. We were both silent for a moment, and then Lulu said, "I will bring you some breakfast. Once your strength is returned…you will need to perform another sending, and heal as many as you can…there are also several more villages on this island…and there were people in the jungle, and at the temple." She started to walk out, but the turned around.

"Wakka, Kimahri, and the boy are in the village, helping to repair it. When you're ready, we will finish our work here, and then head on. It is your choice whether we will stop at the other villages, or if your speed to Zanarkand is more important." She left the room, leaving me alone. I swallowed hard. I felt as though that was my fault. If I had been If I had been stronger, I could have healed the people in the village. Then there wouldn't be a sending to perform. It was my fault those people are dead. It was my fault more people were dying! I decided I would not go to the temple until I had done all the healing and sendings that these islanders need. I just hoped that was not being foolish. It was so hard to know what to do.

I pulled the covers off of my legs, and slid them over the edge of the bed, until they touched the floor. They felt fuzzy, like someone was stabbing me with a thousand tiny swords. I stood there, leaning against the bed for a moment, before gingerly walking across the room towards the bathroom. My throat was dry and sticky, and my face was smeared with dry sweat and sea water, mixed with blood. I needed to clean off. When I got to the bathroom, and turned on the sink to moisten my parched throat, only a few drips of water came out, reminding of the destruction Sin's tidal wave had caused. It probably destroyed all of the water lines on the whole island. I wondered how long it would take to fix that.

I looked up at myself in the cracked, lopsided mirror, damaged as was everything else in this destroyed village. My face looked drawn and tired, caked with filth. My hair was matted and sticking to itself in strange patterns. I stared at myself for a few moments.

I had no idea that it would be so hard. I had hoped I could make it pass quickly. It had been only five days, and I already feel like it had been a month!

I left the bathroom, and decided to get myself some water from the lobby.

_If they have water…_

Slowly making my way down the hallway, I saw several tired, sad, messy looking people, probably ones who had lost their homes to the attack. They were all walking about twice as fast as I was. I felt like a failure, and I pushed myself to walk faster, though I stumbled and almost fell. There wasn't any food in the lobby, nor any water, so I wandered out onto the dock, and looked into the sea. It was clear blue now, so I sat down on the dock and slipped in, letting the icy cold water bite into my tired body. Being in the water reminded me of Besaid. I missed my home so much.

I submerged my head, and rubbed my face and hair, cleaning off the grime. After a couple minutes, I climbed out, soaking wet and shivering from the cold, but feeling much better. I hoped now I could perform more healings.

My stomach growled, and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, which I had been careful to keep closed to avoid getting sea water in it, reminding me that I was still very thirsty. I looked around, seeing Wakka and his blitz team taking apart a destroyed fishing boat, probably for scrap wood to fix the village. I looked in the other direction, and saw Lulu walking quickly towards me with Kimahri, each carrying several battered, bruised fruits. When they reached us, Kimahri handed me one of the large fruits, and my stomach growled again. I bit into it hungrily as Lulu looked over me. "What did you do?"

I swallowed my mouthful of fruit. It was delicious, though very overripe, it was juicy and quenched some of my thirst. "I took a little swim, and once I finish this, I think maybe I will have the strength to attempt some healings…I don't know if I can manage another sending, though." I looked down in shame.

"Alright…we guardians will eat, and you should rest a few more minutes before trying to heal. We don't want you to be drained before you can heal everyone." I nodded, finishing my fruit. She handed me another one, before walking with Kimahri towards Wakka. I called after her.

"A-are you going to give any of that to Tidus?" She looked back, and I thought I saw a spark of anger in her ruby red eyes.

"Is he a guardian?" Then, without waiting for my answer, she turned around, and walked away. Kimahri gave me a look, though it was blank, and I had no idea what he was trying to say. No. Tidus wasn't a guardian. I looked at the fruit in my hand, and then went off walking among the docks, until I found him pounding nails into a building with a rock.

"Hey."He turned around to look at me, wiping sweat from his brow. Though it was still pretty early in the morning, the Kilika sun was beating mercilessly down on the islanders.

"Hey. You're up…you feeling better?"

I nodded, and then extended the fruit towards him. "I thought you might be hungry."

"Thanks." His tired eyes lit up at the sight of food, and he reached out with his empty hand to take it. Then, he paused, and frowned, hearing my rumbling noisily at exactly the wrong time. "Have you eaten?" I kept the fruit extended towards him, saying, "I've eaten." "How much?" I looked down.

"A fruit." He pushed my hand holding the fruit back towards me, saying, "You need your strength more than I do."

Then without giving me a chance to reply, he turned and continued to pound at the nail, before leaning down and grabbing another from a wooden bowl sitting at his feet. I was about to protest, but I realized that what he said was true. I had eaten, but it wasn't much. And I truly did need to keep my strength up.

So, reluctantly, but still enjoying it, I took a bite of the fruit, some of the juice dripping down my chin. I hurriedly finished it, while heading across the village to the place which I had done the sending at, the evening before.

Six people lay in the water, and I had to cover my mouth, afraid that I would lose all the food I had just eaten. A young girl sat by the nearby, crying at the sight of a boy lying in the water, who looked about the same age as she did. I frowned, but quickly erased it from my face. I leaned down to look at the girl.

"Can you tell me where the injured people are?" She nodded at me through teary eyes, pointing to a disheveled building across the dock. I nodded, thanking her, and then walked across. Suddenly, I staggered, feeling a sharp pain in my side, but then straightened up again, willing myself to be strong. When I arrived at the building, there were eight people laying on the floor of the room, with several other people attending them. I took a deep breath, preparing myself, and then approached the nearest person, a man, who looked about thirty years old. Most people in Spira didn't live very long past thirty, maybe thirty five, but other than that, there were only a few. I was determined to change that. I wanted the world to be full of happy, alive people, of all ages.

I placed my hand on his forehead, and prayed, hoping desperately that I had the strength. I was overjoyed to feel pain coursing its way through my body, and it soon subsided. The man slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times, before a woman who was about his age threw her arms around him, laughing and crying at the same time. I smiled, and then moved on to the next person, a girl who looked about my age, maybe a year or two younger. I healed her, and then moved around the room, healing each person. I was very tired when I finished, but I knew that the sending should not be delayed, or the people lying in the ocean might rise up in the forms of mindless monsters, fiends, to kill and injure more than had already been lost. I couldn't allow that. I rose to my feet, and went back to the area where the dead were. The young girl had left, and no one saw what I was doing. I slowly walked out onto the water, and began to perform the sending, but when I was almost finished, I began to feel lightheaded, and I rushed through the ending. I felt my feet sinking into the water, and my vision was blurred. I was about fifty feet from the dock, and in deep water. My vision was turning white, and I could feel myself sinking out of consciousness, into the water below me. I tried to call for help, but all that came out was a small croak.

TidusxYuna Always


	7. To Trust a Guardian

7 To Trust a Guardian

I turned away from her, refusing the delicious looking fruit that she was offering, I continued to pound away at the nail with my rock. I was really hungry, but I knew that it was so much more important for her to keep her strength up than for me to. This world's fate rested on her shoulders. The only thing's fate that had ever rested on my shoulders was the outcome of a blitz game. I felt so useless and insignificant, but that didn't matter. She left, and I could hear her retreating footsteps on the old, worn wooden dock. I leaned down, grabbing another nail from the bowl at me feet, and began to pound it into the house. I decided that after I finished putting in this nail, I could move on to the next house. My arm ached from pounding in nails for hours, since long before sunrise. My stomach complained loudly at me, reminding me that I had just turned down food, when I hadn't eaten since early the day before. My throat was dry, and I could hardly swallow. My whole body was covered with filth, my once yellow vest was still covered in dried blood, as well as my chest and most of my body from the spawn attacking me the day before.

If it weren't for Yuna, I wouldn't even be alive right now…were would I be? Would I go back in Zanarkand? Would I just cease to exist? What happens to people when they die, anyway?

I finished off the nail with one last, extra hard blow, and then stepped back to admire my work. The house looked terrible. I was certainly not a carpenter, but, it looked strong, it would do its job. I walked around the house, testing every corner and wall until I was satisfied that it was sturdy. Then I decided to go check on the injured people, and, if needed, carry out anyone who hadn't made it. I just hoped that Yuna'd been able to heal them. As I walked through the village towards the building, I saw a young girl sitting crying in a rickety shack, which was swaying dangerously back and forth on the stilts that held it out of the water. I started to call out to her, saying that she should get out, but just then, a large bird landed on the roof, and the heavy boards sagged, and almost in slow motion, began to crash down towards her. Without thinking, I dove into the building, grabbed her, and dove back out rolling to a stop on the dock as the whole building crashed into the water, and the bird flew screeching away. I helped the girl stand up, and then she did the prayer gesture, my Zanarkand's blitz victory sign, to me and then ran off. I realized that that I'd probably just saved her life. After thinking on that for a moment, I continued to walk down the way towards the building where all the injured people were. Some villagers were scattered here and there, making repairs to the demolished buildings. I saw a man working on some pipes of some sort, but I didn't know what he was doing. When I arrived at the building, one of the only ones that hadn't been completely torn apart in the tidal wave, I was very glad to see that the people who had been lying there, dying this morning, were sitting around the room, alive and well, eating fruit. I smiled, knowing that Yuna must have been successful.

I just hope it didn't take too much of a toll on her.

Seeing that she wasn't here, I figured she must be okay, so I walked in, smiling. "Do you have any more of that fruit? One of the women nodded, a large smile on her face, and extended a basket to me. I took several, wolfing down the first one in only a few bites.

"Thanks! Do you know where Yuna went?" The woman pointed me in the direction towards the place where Yuna had done her dance the night before." I nodded and hurried off, hoping that she hadn't tried to do a sending so soon. It didn't take a lot of knowledge about this world to know that it took a lot out of her. I hurried in the direction, forgetting about the fruit I was carrying. I became very worried when I saw that the bodies that I had helped carry there this morning were gone. That meant that she must have done a sending, but she should be nearby and I didn't see her anywhere.

I slowly scanned over the water, and I thought that I saw something glistening a long way out. Something stirred nervously in my stomach, and I decided to check it out. I dropped the fruit which I had long since forgotten, and waded quickly into the water until I was waist deep, and swam as fast as I could to the place that I'd seen the sparkling thing. I kept my eyes open, and the salt water stung, but I kept my eyes glued to the spot. I had no trouble holding my breath, and I swam very quickly, having practiced for years back in Zanarkand. When I got close to the spot, I could see a dark form deep in the water. My heart lurched with fear, and I kicked hard, darting quickly towards it, and wrapping my arms around the person's body and swimming to the surface. As I pulled the person up, I saw the glistening thing that I'd seen from shore. It was Yuna's staff. New fear enveloped me; the person in my arms was Yuna.

When I reached the surface, I pushed her head up out of the water. Her face was pasty white, her eyes closed, and her head hanging limply. I treaded water, hoping desperately that she was breathing. Suddenly her head shot up, and she gasped, coughing and gasping again. Relief coursed through me, and I turned her so that she could see me. She looked at me, her face contorted in pain, her eyes clouded with exhaustion.

She said nothing, and didn't appear strong enough to swim, so I swam back to the dock, pulling her along with me. When I reached the dock, I carefully hoisted her onto it, and then pulled myself out of the water. She lay there gasping for breath, a cycle of coughing and gasping that lasted for several moments. I sat beside her, waiting for her to finish. Once she stopped, she just laid there, with her eyes closed. I waited for about a minute, and when she didn't speak, I did.

"Yuna…why'd you do that? You could've died!" I almost felt angry at her, wondering what could possibly be so important about a sending that she had to do it before she had fully recovered from her last one. She opened her eyes, frowning slightly.

"Fiends…I didn't want them to become fiends." She exhaled loudly, as if saying only a few words drained her.I was more annoyed than anything else at this moment. It was irritating that there was so much I didn't know about this world. I wanted to ask her about it, but I knew that now was not the right time. I stood up, feeling a bit awkward.

"Uhhhh. You need to get back to the inn, to rest." She opened her eyes, and blinked at me, acknowledging that she'd heard me. There was no way I was going to leave her here to go get Kimahri to take her back, so, I stooped down, gently picking her up, and carried her back to the inn. As I walked, I received some curious looks from the villagers, but no one said anything. I felt a bit uncomfortable carrying her like this, but I had to do what I had to do. When I finally got back to the inn, I placed her on her bed, and hurriedly backed out of the room, but I bumped into someone standing behind me. I turned around to see a very displeased looking Lulu.

"Ah, heh heh. I ah…" I stuttered, not sure what to say, and wondering why she was always looking at me as if I was about to do something terrible at every second. It was unnerving. I wished Yuna would say something in my defense, but I looked back at her, and she was asleep. Lulu didn't say a word; she just stalked past me, towards Yuna. When she saw Yuna clearly, she turned around and growled at me under her breath.

"What happened?" It sounded like a statement, not a question. I stumbled over my own words, trying to explain. "She-she was in the water, and I saw a sparkly thing, and it was her wand, so I went to get her, and then I took her here, and then I was leaving and then I bumped into you, and then you glared at me…" I was getting out of breath, and she just stood there, looking annoyed. I took a deep breath, and realized what I should say.

"She did another sending!" Lulu's eyes grew wide at this. "Oh." She turned and looked once again at Yuna's pallid, soaked form. Just then, Wakka came in, with Kimahri not far behind. When Wakka saw Yuna, he exclaimed, "Wh-what happened?" "She did another sending…Without telling us." Lulu's second sentence was tinged with irritation. Wakka scratched the back of his neck."Oh." Kimahri grunted, and crossed his arms. All eyes went to me, who was equally as wet as Yuna.

"I-I…she sank, and I pulled her out of the water…" Wakka blinked at me, Lulu glared at me, and Kimahri stood with scowl, though he always scowled. Finally, Wakka broke the uncomfortable silence. "Well! Thanks brudda, it looks like we owe you!" I shook my head. "Nah! Just, uh…can I have some food?" "Sure thing!" Wakka turned to Lulu. "Lu, can you and Kimahri watch her,while I get Tidus and me someth'n to eat?"

Lulu continued to glower, but nodded. As I followed Wakka out of the room, I could feel her stare on the back of my head. She really bothered me, more than ever now, but I pretended that I didn't notice.

I slept in bed for the entire rest of the day, recovering from my second sending, and my second near-death experience in the last two days. By the time the sun had set, I had woken up, but I was still exhausted. Lulu was sitting pristinely in a chair next to my bed, and at first she didn't realize that I was awake. Then I noticed a small flame flickering above the tip of her left index finger. I knew she did this when she was mad. I rolled over to look at her, and she finally noticed that I had awoken.

"Lulu. What's wrong? The flame grew in size, before extinguishing.

"Yuna, you could have DIED." she hissed. "Where then would Spira be?" I felt ashamed. I thought I could do it! I didn't mean to put myself in danger! I-I'm sorry Lulu, I didn't mean to…"

She turned to me, her expression softening. "It's alright, Yuna. You're alive. Just don't ever do that again. I am ashamed of myself. I left you to be saved by…Tidus. He isn't even your guardian, but I failed. We all failed."

"Lulu. It's okay…you…it was my fault. I was the one who didn't tell you." She gave me a brief, almost imperceptible smile. After a moment, she spoke again, moving on to the next subject. "Wakka and Kimahri were repairing in the village all day, so they need to rest. I'm going to be in the next room over, just shout if you need something." I smiled at her. "Thanks, Lulu."

She stood, pointed at the lamp, and a few drops of water fell on the wick, extinguishing the tiny, bright flame. She then left, closing the door behind her. I rolled onto my back, stretching my arms and legs, before rolling back onto my side. I tried to sleep, but though I was worn out from the past couple days, sleep wouldn't come. I laid there for several hours, and the hot, humid island air thickened with every breath I took. Finally, I threw my covers off, and slid carefully out of my bed. I was tired, but my body felt steady, so I padded quietly into the hall. All the doors were closed, and the halls were empty, as was the lobby. I went out into the village, gratefully breathing in the cool, refreshing night air. I sat with my legs dangling over the edge of the dock, above the calm water, looking up at the full moon sitting high in the black sky. After sitting for a few minutes, I closed my eyes, taking in the peace of the night. I tried to distract my mind from the thoughts of what must be going on in the other villages, but visions of people dying, and turning into fiends haunted my thoughts. I jumped when I heard footsteps behind me. I twisted around to see Tidus standing there. His clothes were stained from blood, his hair was messy, and his eyes looked dull and exhausted. He rubbed his eyes, looking at me, confused. "What are you doing? It's kinda late…" His voice was a bit slurred from his weariness.

"Sorry…I just needed some time to breathe. I'll go back now." I felt a little silly, being caught out so late at night, but no one told me I couldn't…Lulu'd probably be upset. I smiled at the thought. Though Lulu could be easily angered, I knew it was just because she cared. I stood up and followed Tidus back to the entrance of the inn. He let out a small shout of surprise as he almost fell headlong into lobby, tripping over a piece of wood carelessly left in the doorway.

I laughed, but covered my mouth, realizing that if any of my guardians came out here, they'd have more questions that I cared to even try to answer. He looked sheepishly at me, before going down the hallway, and disappearing into one of the rooms. I smiled to myself, hurrying to my own room, and climbing into my bed. After a long while, I drifted off into a fitful sleep, my dreams filled with cries of people, weeping over the loss of their loved ones.

TidusxYuna Always


	8. Of Fiends and Pyreflies

8 Of Fiends and Pyreflies

Almost as soon as I woke from my dream filled slumber, I got out of bed. I felt mostly refreshed, my body felt strong, though my heart was troubled from the dreams that had plagued my mind all through the night. They had felt so real.

After straightening my already worn, blood-stained, disheveled Summoner's outfit, I left the room. The lobby and hall were as empty as they had been the night before, when I went out to get some fresh air. I stepped out onto the dock, gazing towards the sunrise, squinting from the brightness. The sun had just barely risen out of the sea from the north, the direction of Zanarkand, my final destination.

The village was already bustling with people, repairing things, and a group of men was headed towards the jungle, probably to gather food. I stretched and went back into the inn. We needed to leave as soon as possible; the faster we got to the surrounding villages the better. I knocked on Lulu's door, and she called from within the room, "What?"

"It's Yuna." "Enter."I opened the door, stepping inside the untidy room. It was in even worse shape than my room had been, reflecting the destruction out around the village. Lulu sat on the side of her bed, braiding her long, black, hip-length hair. It was wet. She paused, looking up at me, eyebrows slightly raised.

"I'm feeling stronger. I think we should head into the jungle today." She nodded, finishing the braid and tying it off with a beaded strand of twine. "We should get Wakka and the others. The blitzball team will be staying in the village waiting for us." She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, as if what she was about to say scared her. "Yuna. Are you going to stop at the other villages…or are you going to go right to the temple?" I closed my eyes for a second before answering.

"I'm going to stop at the villages. I won't leave this island until I've healed and sent everyone who needs it." Lulu nodded, and I didn't know what her feelings on it were. I couldn't tell would she had hoped for me to say, and she didn't say anything else, so I slowly left the room and went to wake Kimahri up. I looked up and down the hallway, realizing that I didn't actually know which room he was in. I decided that I didn't want to risk the chance of walking in on someone who wasn't Kimahri, so I went back into Lulu's room.

"Um, where are the others? I don't know which room they're in…" She had been standing by her window, and now I noticed that there actually wasn't any glass there except for broken shards around the edges, Destroyed from the force of the tidal wave, or maybe from the debris floating through the water. She turned to me, and then quietly walked out of the room and down the hall a few doors to the right of her own. She knocked on the door, calling Wakka's name.

"Wakka. Yuna's ready to go. We're going to go to all the other villages." "Kay, Lu! Just give me a minute!" There was some shuffling noises, and soon, Wakka stepped out of the room, absentmindedly trying to straighten his tall, bright red cowlick, though his efforts were futile. His face was drawn from fatigue, and his expression gave off no emotion except sorrow. Lulu then went to another room nearer to the lobby, saying over her shoulder.

"Wakka, please wake up the boy." I flinched a bit, wishing that she might begin to accept him, but I knew that she was still just as wary of him as she had been before, perhaps even more so now…

Wakka knocked on the door I had seen Tidus go into the evening before, his voice as tired and sad sounding as his face looked. "Tidus! Time ta get up, ya?" A sleepy groan came from the room.

"Ohhh…kay…" There were a few thumps, and then the door swung open revealing a very dirty, scruffy looking Tidus. He looked at Wakka with his eyes half closed, saying, "The shower doesn't work."

Wakka let out a sound that was almost a laugh, but not quite. "Ya. I noticed." Lulu arrived with Kimahri, who was stood silently with his arms crossed over his chest.

She looked the three males over, taking in their terribly filthy states. She waved her hand over her nose, showing that she also noticed the stench that they were giving off. "I washed earlier this morning. You all need to wash before we continue, while you're doing that, I will get some fruit from the supply house. There are some basins that you can use right outside of the inn." She walked away, and we all followed her outside. There was a stack of large basins, along with several small buckets sitting by the side of the building. Lulu turned and walked in one direction, and Wakka clapped his hands once, and then grabbed one of the basins. He handed it to me, and then picked up another. He gestured with his shoulder at the stack.

"Tidus, you get one, and we'll use em in our rooms. We'll have to get water with the buckets from the sea."Tidus nodded and grabbed one of the basins, walking back into the inn. We then began a process of carrying two buckets of water at a time to the basins. After several trips, all the basins were full, and we parted ways, and each bathed and washed our clothes. Kimahri had nothing to do with this, he hates water. For as long as I've known him, ten years, he has always washed himself like a cat. I've always thought this was yucky, but it's the way all Ronso do it, I think.

After about half an hour, we all met in the lobby, soaking wet and cold. Both of them had dark bloodstains on their clothes, Tidus' once-yellow shirt was now more of a sickening orange color. Lulu was also there, holding a large basket of fruit. We ate all the contents of the basket, all of us hungry and exhausted from the lack of food and sleep. When we had finished, Wakka slapped his legs, standing up and heading for the door.

"Well, we'd better hit the road. We gotta long way ta go."

Lulu stood up, but didn't follow after him."No. We must let our food settle. If we don't," She eyed him accusingly, and then switched her gaze to Tidus.

"those of us who ate too much might get stomach aches, and we will have to wait, or they will get sick." Wakka stopped in his tracks, reversing in course, walking back to the couch and plopping down.

"Yes, ma'am."

If the whole situation of life hadn't been so serious, it might have been funny, but none of us laughed. No one spoke a word after that, until it had been about half an hour. We just stared into our laps. After some time, Lulu stood, and began to walk from the room, and we followed. When she got to the door, she stopped, waiting for me to take the lead.

"It has been long enough." She said. Again, no one spoke, we simply walked somberly through the village, towards the jungle. As we were walking, we saw a few of the Aurochs, and Wakka waved at them. "Hey, boys! We'll be back in some time. We'll be a while, cause we're gonna go to all the villages, and then the temple. The blitz tournament 'll just have to wait for us." The blitzers nodded tiredly at their captain, and then we continued. I didn't have the strength, or a reason to speak, and it seemed that we were all equally lost in our thoughts. As we entered the jungle, Wakka finally broke the long silence.

"Be on your guard. Some of the people who were in the jungle during the attack probably turned into fiends. We'll be runnin' into a lot of em today." Though he wasn't looking at me, I nodded, out of habit.

Lulu looked back at me while walking. "Where are we headed?"

I nodded towards a lightly worn, weeded-over path to the right. "That way, I think."Without another word, we all headed in that direction, Wakka and Lulu ahead, Tidus and I in middle, and Kimahri bringing up the rear. After several more minutes of walking, Tidus finally said something.

"Yuna…what is a sending? What are fiends?" He sounded almost afraid to ask, and I was almost afraid to answer. It was easier to live with the pain if I didn't have to talk about it, but, he had to know sometime… Wakka gave us a quick glance, and Lulu let out a quiet snort, but neither said anything.

"A sending…when a person dies of unnatural causes, their soul is still locked inside their body, because they weren't ready to die…when a summoner performs a sending, it's through deep prayer and concentration, and then Yevon is able to unlock their bodies, releasing their souls, and they go to the farplane. When a summoner…doesn't get there in time…when people aren't sent soon enough, the peoples' souls twist, when they're trying to escape their dead bodies. Eventually, they are able to break out, but without a proper sending, the part of their heart which had love and care in it is left behind, and the only thing left in the soul is hatred and pain. They have no memories, and are only there to kill…and they do…that's why I have guardians. When a fiend is killed, its pyreflies cannot go to the farplane, and it will forever wander Spira, with no where to go, and no purpose. Mostly, crusaders keep the fiend population down, but guardians just protect the summoner from any that the crusaders miss. They protect me from fiends and Sin's spawn. They protect me…until the end…" I broke off, not wanting to explain any further.

"The…end? What's the end?" He was looking sideways at me, seeming astonished by the whole thing, and probably confused about my sudden silence. Lulu stopped, spinning dramatically around, her voice sharp, almost angry.

"When she defeats Sin."

I held my breath, hoping that she wouldn't go on, and I was relieved when she spun back around, and walked forward, back stiff, hands held by her side, her fingers splayed out. Each finger had a small flame on its tip, just like they were the first day I told her I was going to become a summoner.

Wakka's shoulders sagged, but I couldn't see his expression, because I was walking behind him. I glanced at Tidus, trying to hide my pained expression, but it was so hard. The corners of my lips turned downward into a frown, no matter how hard I tried to stop them. Tidus was looking at me, confusion, maybe even a little fear, was on his face. He didn't speak again.

After several more minutes of walking, I heard a roar, and looked up, just in time for a group of fiends to attack us. Tidus stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body, but he didn't move to attack. Kimahri gave a replying roar, leaping at the largest of the three fiends. Wakka hurriedly extended his blitzball to Lulu, and she placed her hands on it, whispering something. Then Wakka reeled back, delivering a powerful throw, hitting a small but vicious looking bird fiend square in the head. When the ball hit, there was an explosion of ice shards, some of them flying in my direction, but most of them hit Tidus, instead of me. I got a few cuts in my arms, but nothing too bad. Tidus hardly seemed phased by it, so I figured that he wasn't injured. While Wakka threw the ball, Lulu extended her hands towards a bright red gelatinous creature which had risen from the dirt. Before she had a chance to attack, it shook itself, part of its body flinging towards Wakka. He let out an angered shout as the burning substance ate into his shoulder, and then Lulu shot the creature with a stream of ice as I moved forward to heal Wakka, Tidus still keeping himself between me and the only still living creature, the large, wolf like being which Kimahri was trading attacks with. I placed my hand directly on Wakka's wound, and the burning acid-fire started to eat into my palms. I hadn't thought to expect the pain before I started praying, and I jerked my hands back, before quickly replacing them, and praying. It was hard to concentrate because of the acid, but soon I felt a searing pain in my shoulder, and then it quickly faded, Wakka sighing in relief. By this time, Lulu had helped Kimahri finish off the wolf creature, and we all relaxed as we watched its pyreflies disappear above the treetops. I raised my hands up, looking at the raw welts left on my palms. Tidus leaned over my shoulder, letting out a groan of sympathy, seeing the wounds. "Can you heal yourself?" I was a little surprised by his question, it was a well known fact in Spira that healers can only heal others. It was rare that someone would learn to heal, because it was a skill only very few people were ever able to acquire. No one knew why, it was simply a skill that mostly only summoners were able to do, and sometimes, even summoners weren't able to. I snapped out of my thoughts, hearing Lulu's voice, sounding slightly winded.

"No. You would do well to keep your questions to yourself. Everyone knows that healers cannot heal themselves. We will continue now." She stalked off, head held high. Wakka took his place beside her, Kimahri went silently back to guard the rear, and I gave Tidus an apologetic glance before following Lulu and Wakka. He fell into step beside me, and seemed a bit sullen. I glanced at his face to catch his expression, and he was glaring at the back of Lulu's head. I wished she would just leave him alone. I knew that she missed Chappu, but resenting him for something he can't help doesn't make any sense...

We walked on for a few hours, the heat of the jungle pressing in on us, our clothes had dried long ago, sweat now ran freely down our faces. We encountered several more groups of fiends before I saw a young man lying in the bushes. I was startled at first, letting out a small cry, before running towards him. I knelt down, placing my hand on his neck, feeling for a pulse. There was none. I slowly rose to my feet, wondering if I had not slept almost all day yesterday, if I could have gotten to him in time to heal him, before he died.

"I-I need to send him." Kimahri stepped forward, and scooped him up like a doll. The man was about a third of the size of my huge, blue guardian.

"Kimahri carry." I returned to the path in the direction we had been going, my guardians following me. "We need to hurry. We don't want him to become a fiend."We'd traveled far inland, cutting across a peninsula to get the village on the other side, so we were far from the sea, our only hope was that we could arrive at a pool of water soon, or that we would reach the village before the man broke free.

We walked a bit more quickly, but I knew that we should walk at a pace that we could keep up all day, that we wouldn't be out of breath when fiends attacked, because being too tired would spell our deaths.

After about half an hour, a group of four wolves leapt at us from the bushes, and Kimahri dumped the man unceremoniously onto the ground, drawing his spear, and attacking the closest one. Lulu and Wakka did their same routine, Lulu placing an element on his blitzball, and then bombarding the creatures with the same element, whichever one they looked most vulnerable to. Tidus seemed a bit reluctant, but he saw that they were outnumbered, so he left my side, reaching out his right hand, Chappu's sword materializing in it. He rushed into the fray, stabbing at the wolf. It was so large that its shoulders were nearly parallel with his, I could smell its putrid, smoky breath. Tidus alternated between slashing at it, and jumping back to avoid its angry attacks. He swung his sword, but missed, the creature lashed out at him with a large paw, and he leapt back, but was a little to late. It caught him across the leg, though not cutting deeply. He grunted, wobbling a little, but quickly recovering, stabbing forward, right through the monster's head. It instantly burst into pyreflies, just as Wakka's did the same. Wakka and Lulu teamed up on Lulu's and quickly overpowered it. Kimahri also won his fight. I ran forward, placing my hand on the long, shallow gash on Tidus's lower calf, and he flinched, but didn't make a sound. I prayed, and could feel the gash as if it was on my own leg. I clenched my jaw, waiting for the feeling to subside, and breathing out with relief when it did. I removed my hand, wiping it along the grass, cleaning off most of the blood. He smiled, sliding his hand across the now repaired smooth skin, only a slight scar remained.

"Thanks."

I blinked, and then stood up, continuing along the path. We all fell back into our usual places, Kimahri picking up the man's body before following. I felt my stomach telling me that it was long past due for the midday meal; the afternoon was already cooling into evening, but I knew that even a little time wasted might mean the difference between the man's being sent to the farplane, or becoming a fiend, dying a second time, and having his pyreflies forever wander Spira in loneliness. As darkness fell, we saw fewer and fewer fiends, as most aren't nocturnal, since they were once people. Tidus was walking a bit crouched over, obviously hungry. We were all hungry. I felt guilty pressing them to continue, and I decided that I should give them a break, no matter how I wanted to go on.

"Stop. We may have to travel a lot farther before we reach a village or pool, I do not know how large Kilika is…should we take time to find food, and eat?"

I was slightly surprised when Tidus spoke up before anyone else could. His voice was a little scratchy from lack of water, and from not talking for so long. Among all of us, we'd hardly said a word all day, since Lulu told Tidus to keep his questions to himself.

"No! As long as this man has a chance, we should keep going!" I caught Lulu giving him a curious glance, and Wakka slowly nodded in agreement. Kimahri rarely ate, it seems that he can survive eating an entire animal, only once every week or so, so he was fine with it. "Good, it's decided then. We'll continue."

We walked on, the air cooling, and darkness covering the forest in a blanket of gloom. Occasionally, the quiet was broken by a bird's cry, somewhere off in the treetops, or the sound of a stomach complaining for the lack of food, but other than that and the sound of our footsteps, the night was silent. We met up with no fiends, and we took advantage of the cooler temperature, bumping up the speed some. When it had been several hours of darkness, my body was swaying back and forth as I walked, my eyes drooping shut, yawns constantly trying to force their way from my mouth. My guardians were no better off, though I was surprised to see that Tidus was still going strong.

People in Spira generally did not stay up long past nightfall, most preferring to wake early, sometimes hours before sunrise, rather than stay up late. I knew that in Zanarkand they had blitzball games at night, so Tidus was probably used to staying up late.

After a couple more hours, I stumbled, falling to the path below me. I watched the ground rush up towards my face, unable to react from exhaustion. As I fell, someone caught my hand, though it didn't stop my fall completely, it kept my body upright, only my knees hit the ground. I was slowly lowered, keeping my tired body from being hurt, and my eyes drooped shut, sleep coming over me, I couldn't fight it.

TidusxYuna Always


	9. Not your Guardian

9 Not Your Guardian

"_No! Please! Come back! Don't leave me!"_

I heard my own voice crying out words, words that I had spoken to my father, the day he left, as I ran through the village, chasing him through the crowded streets of Bevelle. My nurse, Selinia, caught my arm, stopping me. As it started to rain, I watched my father disappear through the city gates, the water falling heavily on my face, mixing with my tears. I could feel it, coursing down my cheeks. Then, everything went black.

"_No…_"

I opened my eyes, my vision a green blur. I sat up, warm rain was falling in the jungle, the early morning sunlight filtering through the clouds high above the tree tops. I looked around me, my guardians were sprawled haphazardly out on the path, asleep. Nearby, Tidus slept, curled in the crook of a tree's roots, a pile of fruit lay near his feet. Apparently he had found us some food.

The first thing I wanted to do was run over and gobble it up, filling my empty stomach, but I knew that would be selfish. I struggled to my feet, my body tired and sore, I knew we'd only had a few hours of sleep, but we had to move on. I shook Kimahri, and looked around. At first, I hadn't seen it in the dull light, and rain, but now I realized that the man Kimahri had been carrying was no longer here. We had failed. I had failed. Kimahri sat up, a slight growl rumbled in his chest.

"Kimahri…he-he's gone." The permanent frown on Kimahri's face deepened, but he said nothing. He rose to his feet, and crossed his arms, taking in the scene. His tail twitched back and forth, and he made a slight gesture with his head towards Tidus, and the pile of fruit. "Eat. Then move on."

I nodded, knowing that he was right. There was nothing we could do now. The man had become a fiend. Eventually, he would be killed, and then his pyreflies would wander about Spira in a futile, unending search of a place to rest.

I shook Lulu, pointing towards Tidus, once she had fully awakened.

"He found food." I secretly hoped this might buy him some favor, but instead, she looked suspicious.

"How did he get food?" She stood, and despite her suspicion, she walked over, picking up one of the fruits and slowly biting into it. Though she tried not to betray her eagerness, she was obviously more hungry than she let on. I woke Wakka, and as he sat down to eat, I shook Tidus while saying half to Lulu, half to Wakka,

"The man-he's gone. He turned to a fiend."

Neither answered, it was a common tragedy in Spira, something we simply had to grow to expect. Tidus groaned, stretching his arms, and squinting his eyes at the rain.

"Yuna?"

"It's morning. The man didn't make it…" Some kind of emotion, I wasn't sure if it was anger, pain, or something else, flashed across his face. "Yeah. I know. I killed it. The fiend." He frowned, sitting up. He caught sight of Lulu and Wakka, hungrily devouring the fruit, and he quickly leaned forward, grabbing several for himself, and began to eat, still with the frown plastered on his face. I took several, trying to eat with at least SOME dignity, as Lulu was also trying to do, though Tidus and Wakka looked like they had never heard of the word. The pile of fruit quickly dwindled into nothing, and I finally decided to give the thanks due.

"Thanks for getting that for us…how did you?" He gave Lulu a quick look, something like annoyance showed on his face.

"Oh…I dunno…" Lulu saw him give her the look, and her momentarily thankful face hardened again. Wakka gave Lulu a glance, and interlocked his fingers, holding his hands behind his head. "So, do we gotta wait again?"

She gave him a look that almost appeared to be a smirk, but not quite.

"Yes, it seems that we are all guilty of overeating, this morning." She glanced upward to Kimahri standing silently over us."Except you, of course."

Kimahri grunted, and a slight smile came to my face, despite the situation. Tidus started to play with a couple rocks lying on the ground, and I pulled at the grass, wishing that we could get up, but I knew that Lulu was right to make us wait. Tidus looked up at me, opening his mouth, but then his eyes shifted towards Lulu, who was watching him intently, and he closed his mouth, eyes going towards the ground, and the rocks in his hands. He absentmindedly grabbed one more rock, and began to casually throw them between his hands, so that there was at least one rock in the air at all times, and they alternated between each hand. As he threw them back and forth, he looked bored, and mad, maybe.

I was mesmerized, I'd never seen anyone perform such a trick.

"That's…neat." I said, Wakka nodding in agreement, Lulu gave me a sharp look.

"Wha'dya call that, brudda?" Tidus let the rocks fall, one in one hand, two in the other.

"Juggling…haven't you ever seen it before?" Wakka and I shook our heads, Lulu did nothing, except I might have seen her roll her eyes, though I'm not sure. Lulu then got to her feet, seemingly not wanting to have a conversation about this.

"We have waited long enough, we leave." As we shuffled into our positions and began along the road once again, I could feel the tropical island sun already starting to heat up the day. As we walked, I waited for some of the seeming tension to die down, before I spoke of my intentions.

"Our plan is, we'll travel to this next village, and I will do my duties, and then we we'll travel all around the coast of Kilika, and then, when we finish a full circle around the island, and are back at Kilika village, we'll travel from there to Kilika temple, at the very center of the island. We don't have time to search the whole jungle for people to heal and send, there's no telling how long that would take, we have to make that sacrifice."

Wakka grunted, showing that he understood. Lulu turned her head, directing her speech over her shoulder.

"That is…it is a good plan, though I would point out that it may take us days, even weeks to get all the way around Kilika. There are six villages, we've been to one of them. We've already traveled a full day. By the time we get to the other villages…it's likely that…there will be no one left who needs healing, and that those who didn't make it…will already have turned to fiends…" She turned her head to face forward again, and there was an unhappy silence within the group. I knew she was right. A few lives, a few souls...were they really worth the time and risk? The question weight heavily on my heart.

I wished there weren't so many decisions, so many hard decisions. I knew that if I leave them behind and go straight to the temple, I would be more likely to save many more lives.

"We…I…you are right." I clenched and unclenched my fists, knowing that I was condemning people to death, even eternal death…but it was for the greater good. "We must travel to the next village. If there are more than a few people I might be able to help. "It is good…we must do what is best, even if it hurts." I glanced beside me, and Tidus had a look of horror on his face. He seemed to be trying to hold something back, but finally, it exploded.

"What is best! Good?! How can what is best hurt? What are you thinking? You are going to leave these people to suffer for eternity?! For speed?!" He was really mad. As he spoke, Lulu stopped walking, her fists clenched tightly. Her whole body was tense, everything in her appearance said that she was very angry, but I knew it was a cover up-a cover up for her sorrow. Lightening flashed, striking a tree that was near Tidus, beside the path. He jumped, and brought up his arms to block from the heat. A fire started, but the rain quickly quenched it. I knew that the lightening had been from Lulu, and I started to fear for Tidus' safety. Lulu turned slowly around, her voice low and controlled, spoken through clenched teeth, almost a growl.

"I told you, keep your questions to yourself." Tidus took a step back, slightly raising his hands in front of himself, partially from surrender, and partially in defense, in case she got even more mad. Though he appeared to be giving up, I could tell, he was still furious. As they had a staring match, for a tiny instant, both of Lulu's hands burst into flames, though not long enough to burn her. She spun around, walking stiffly forward, and we all followed. No one even tried to answer Tidus' question, and no one wanted to.

We traveled a long way, and saw no fiends. They seemed to have retreated into caves and such, probably because most fiends of this region didn't like rain. We walked even faster than we had the day before, and after several hours I was already beginning to tire, the lack of sleep and food already catching up to me, along with the stress of decisions and the tension between Lulu and Tidus.

I looked at Tidus walking beside me. He must have thought that I didn't care about these people. He couldn't have been more wrong. I would give up my life for these people, and that was what I was going to do. But the longer we took to save a few people, the more likely that Sin would attack again, and kill many more people than we saved in the first place.

Tidus noticed me looking at him, and as soon as he turned his head to face me, I dropped my gaze, feeling awkward for staring.

"I-I understand now…sorry." He said, his expression looked genuinely regretful, he must have thought about it more, and realized what was best.

I looked back at him. "A wise man once told me…life, it doesn't ask us what we want…it offers us decisions…and…we must make a choice…no matter how much it hurts…" I hoped he would understand. "…I…I understand…I think." He said.

I was too tired to talk any more about it, all that needed to be said had been, and my brain felt numb, I could hardly think. We spent the next half hour walking in silence, until he pointed out some nearby bushes. Lulu and Wakka had been so absorbed in their conversation that they hadn't even seen the bushes, covered in dull, red looking berries. I called ahead to the two."There's some berries here." "Food!" Wakka said, half enthusiastic, half just plain tired.

"Good. I feel as if I recognize this place. I believe we will arrive at the next village by late tonight." Lulu came back to us, Wakka in tow. The rain was starting to let up, but the air was still hot and moist, and I was thankful for a rest. We were all very muddy, especially myself, from falling. Because of our states, none of us cared about sitting down on the muddy ground, we were all to tired and hungry to care. Kimahri sat watching us as we all stripped the bushes of their berries, eating every single one of them. Through a mouthful of the fruit, Wakka mumbled to me,

"Good find!" I glanced at Tidus, smiling,

"Oh, I didn't find it, Tidus did." He didn't appear to want attention at the moment, and when he received an icy glare from Lulu, I saw why. Finally, I lost it. I slapped my hands lightly together, clearing my throat loudly, drawing all eyes towards myself. I didn't frown, though I felt like it, I just sweetly said to Lulu, "My guardians and traveling companions should not fight." Her eyes flashed with anger, and she spoke coolly at me, "Wakka, Kimahri and myself, are your guardians. HE is a child Wakka has taken in under his wing. NOT a traveling companion. When we get to Luca, he will find himself a blitzball team, and he will stay there. Wakka and I have already talked this over."

She finished with an air of decisiveness, and I couldn't help but feel depressed at the thought. Over the last few days, he'd saved my life more than once, and I'd grown to enjoy his company. Though, I knew she was, as usual, right. He had no place with us…he was a blitzball player, nothing more. Still, he had already proven himself to be skillful with a sword. I wondered if he could be a guardian, if he could be my guardian.

I gazed around at the people surrounding me…my friends. Wakka looked downcast, he wouldn't look e in the face. Kimahri looked on the scene with a certain aloofness that I grown used to long ago. Lulu kept her head tilted to the right, her face a blank mask. I could tell, she didn't like what she was doing… I couldn't figure out why she was doing it, though.

Then, my gaze turned to Tidus. He was plucking grass from the mud soaked ground, deep in thought. He was upset. I just stared, not really consciously realizing that I was doing it, but, he eventually looked up, and his eyes widened in fear.

"Behind you." I was sitting with my back to a large bush, and seeing his expression, I decided to stay as still as possible, my own eyes growing wide with concern. His words got the others' attention, and Lulu calmly took in the situation, extended her hands toward above my head, whispered something, her lips barely moving. I felt searing heat radiate on the back of my neck, and heard the scream of pyreflies as burning twigs and leaves fell into my hair and lap. I launched myself forward, rolling out of the way, just in time to see a large plant fiend fall, burning, in the spot were I had been sitting. My heart was pounding wildly, realizing that I could have died right there. Plant fiends are very dangerous, they inflict a kind of poison with their attacks that only healers are able to cure, and there are no healers around, besides myself. If the poison is not cured, it slowly saps away the energy and life, until I would die a long, painful death…I had once again escaped death, though at that moment, a wave of doubt hit me. Life in Spira is treacherous. Especially for Summoners. Many had attempted to travel the pilgrimage across Spira, to save Spira, but few had ever made it to Zanarkand… I feared that I wouldn't make it, even taking a moment to wonder if all this was really worth it, but I reassured myself that peace was worth anything.

I still lay in the mud, all of us trying to recover from the shock. Finally, I sat up, looking from Tidus to Lulu, "Thank you."

TidusxYuna Always


	10. Heart Wounds

10 Heart Wounds

We journeyed on, through the deep, suffocating humidity. As the clouds above the treetops gave way to blue sky, the sun's heat burned down on our backs, my breaths came in quick bursts; I felt like I could never fill my lungs, no matter how deep a breath I took. I had to concentrate on breathing, I was feeling lightheaded, and afraid I might pass out if I didn't do it just right. My guardians also seemed uncomfortable, though Tidus didn't even seem to notice. Ject had once told me, about Blitzball in Zanarkand, a few of the most skilled players were so comfortable in the water, they could even sleep in it, without coming up for air for hours. That was probably why Tidus had no problem. As I was thinking on these things, careful to keep breathing slowly, deeply, and evenly, I broke my rhythm, screaming as dive beak fiend came swooping down out of no where, straight for me, it's razor sharp beak about to pierce me through. I dove to the side, but not fast enough. I cried out as the fiend's beak sliced deep into my shoulder. I was now lying in the dried, crusty mud, blood oozing from the wound. The fiend flew high in the sky, turned, and prepared to make another dive. While this was going on, Lulu was praying, Wakka's ball extended to her, Kimahri was occupied with a large reptilian monster which had run from the bushes. Tidus was standing by me, ready to block the next attack, his sword grasped tightly in his hand. As the dive beak prepared to make another attack, Wakka hit it with his blitzball, ice shards once again raining down over Tidus and me, though, this time, many more of the tiny needles sliced shallowly into me. I struggled to calm myself, begging my heart to slow down, I couldn't breathe fast enough to quench its thirst for oxygen. I lay still as my guardians gathered around, taking in one deep, slow breath after another, until my heart returned to normal, and I sat up. I knew my guardians were here to protect me, but I still felt so helpless. I wished that I could have mastered all the elements before I left for the pilgrimage.

I placed my hand on my shoulder, trying to stop the flow of blood, but it seeped between my fingers, making me feel sick. Lulu knelt down; she too was taking slow, measured breaths. She held out her left index finger, a tiny flame appearing, floating on the tip. She didn't say anything; we'd gone through this drill before…She placed her burning finger over the wound, cleaning it with the heat, to help prevent it from getting infected. Summoners had to have their arms working well for summoning and sendings, I couldn't afford to risk infection. Searing agony roared through my arm, shooting up my neck and down my spine, the heat from that tiny flame flooding my whole body. I dug my fingers into the dirt, my breath quickening again. I groaned, the pain almost too much to bear, but then she removed her finger, the burning pain dying away with it, changing to a dull throb. I sighed, trying to breathe properly again, while Tidus stood by, deep sympathy and confusion showing on his face, but he didn't dare speak. I nodded my head forward, not breaking my breathing rhythm. walked on, with Tidus by my side. He was beginning to feel so much like a guardian. Even if he wasn't doing a lot of fighting, I still liked having him nearby. But it would not be. He would stay in Luca. He would live to enjoy my Calm. A calm that would last through eternity. I wished.

Surely, the thoughts, longing for the calm to last for eternity had passed a thousand times through the mind of every summoner ever to embark on a pilgrimage, and yet, none of them had every had their wishes granted. Most believe Sin's rebirth is the fault of the Al Bhed, using machina; though some say it isn't. I don't know what to think.

I wanted to believe that it wasn't their fault, and yet if it wasn't, I couldn't think of another reason that it could possibly be. Even as a summoner, there were still so many things that I didn't understand.

Slowly, but steadily, the hot, humid air was cooling into evening, another day of my life fading into the distance. We didn't seem to be nearing the village, though we pressed on, meeting a growing number of fiends. Three times we were attacked, each time, we won, without a scratch. Tidus avoided getting involved with the fighting, though he still guarded me, keeping himself between me and attackers at all times. As darkness settled over the jungle, we kept meeting fiends, and we were all growing very weary. I knew, the increasing number of fiends must mean that we were nearing the village…and that many had died and changed before we could get to them. By the time all sunlight was gone, and the only sources of light were the occasional wandering pyrefly, the fiends had finally gone to rest, though we continued to travel. My shoulder and my foot still throbbed with pain; my energy was ebbing into nothing, though now that the air had cooled, I was finally able to breathe comfortably. Just when I was about to announce that we would rest here for the night, feeling that I could not walk any further, I saw the sea ahead in the distance, and a devastated village, shrouded in darkness, the sliver of a moon barely giving any light to reveal that it was there at all. I tried to gesture towards it, but I was too tired to raise my arm.

"The village." I said, knowing that they would see it momentarily, if that had not already seen it. I heard a few sighs of relief, and we stumbled on towards it, all of us exhausted, ready to rest. When we finally reached it, I had to concentrate hard, just trying to place one foot in front of the other. The sky was already beginning to turn pale with dawn when we stepped inside the village gates, and we all lay down on the docks, too tired to do anything more, too tired to even take another step.

I smelled the sea, I heard it. I wondered where I was. Was I on Besaid? I felt as if I was swaying back and forth, floating in mid air…I couldn't figure out what was going on.

As I slowly opened my eyes, they took several moments to adjust to the brightness. I found myself lying in a hammock, strung between two posts in a house with half of the roof torn off, and the wall leaning on sticks to hold it up. I carefully sat up looking around, I could see through the countless holes and gaps in the wall that we were inside a village, and I remembered that we were on Kilika.

I clung to the rope holding my hammock up, and rolled over the edge, moving slowly, until my feet touched the floor below me. As I put my full weight on it I could feel the boards sag a bit. I stepped cautiously across them, walking to the open door.

Similar to Kilika village, the whole thing was built on docks above the sea. There was destruction all around. Very few people wandered around the devastated village, the ones that I could see all had wounds wrapped in filthy bandages, scratches and cuts, and most were limping. There were several other hammocks strung up around me, and each of my friends was lying in one. Soon, one of the villagers milling about noticed that I was up. A young man, not much older than myself approached me. "You are a summoner?" His voice was tired, he sounded defeated.

"I am Yuna. From Besaid. I am a summoner." It was hard just to force out those few words.

"If only…you had arrived sooner…there are few of us left." His words were not accusing, just sad. I bowed my head.

"I…I am sorry…I tried..." I felt my eyes stinging, and my throat clamped shut. I struggled to maintain control, before I continued, taking a deep breath.

"I am here to send and heal…are there any who need it?" I took in his state. His arms were covered in small cuts; several red, infected wounds ran across his bare chest, though he didn't appear to be seriously injured.

"No, m'lady. Our injuries are many, though the worst injuries are on our hearts…Those of us who are left only have minor wounds. All our dead have become fiends. The rest of us will heal, with, or without your help…you must conserve your strength. You must go on to the temple…Defeat Sin, m'lady…save us…" There was such deep hurt ingrained in words, his voice cracked, and tears began to fall down his face. I clasped my hands together holding them so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I fought tears, trying to smile, giving him confidence that I could, that I would defeat Sin. It was always the hardest when I saw another person in pain.

"I…I will move on…if that is your wish." He nodded, and turned away, choking out the words,

"Thank you…m'lady." I bit my lip hard, tasting my own blood.

"Y-you are…welcome…" He turned around, looking at me again.

"We will provide you and your guardians with food." Then he walked away.

"Thank you." I called after him, beginning to feel dizzy. I looked towards the sky, the sun was at its peak; it was near time for the midday meal, though we had not eaten since morning, the day before. I lay down on the dock, waiting for my friends to wake up. I must have fallen back to sleep, but I was eventually awakened by the sound of oncoming footsteps. I looked up, seeing young girl, maybe eight years old, carrying a basket so full of assorted fruits and berries that she could hardly carry it.

She looked so much like Amai. I missed her. I thought back to the people on Besaid that I had left behind. They had raised me. They had loved me. I loved them, and I would die for them. They were precious to me, they had been replacements for the family I had lost as a child, and now they too were lost to me.

I sat up, watching the girl approach, taking in the long cut down her arm. When she arrived, she placed the basket down by me, and did the prayer gesture, though she would not meet my eyes with her own. There were fresh tears running down her face, amongst old, dried tear tracks. She was dirty and bloody, her body was thin and fragile-looking. My heart broke for her, and as she turned to leave, I reached out my hand toward her.

"Wait." She turned back to face me, though she still would not look into my eyes. She said nothing. Her hand went up to her arm, clasping over the sore, festering wound. She winced.

"I'll heal you." She finally raised her eyes to mine, silently walking back to me, shakily extending her arm. I touched it, and she flinched, though she didn't pull it back. I tried to pray, though for a moment, my mind was overwhelmed with sorrow for the girl, for the village, for this island, for this world, torn and broken…For a thousand years of pain, suffering, death and loneliness. I would have given literally anything to bring peace.

I didn't even have to ask Yevon for healing. As the thoughts passed through my mind, I was startled as I felt her arm pull away. I opened my eyes, and saw a slight smile on her face, though I could see in her eyes a deep pain, a loss of innocence; she had seen death, tragedy. She was far too young to see such things, and yet almost every child in Spira had…She finally spoke, her unusually thick Kilikan accent sounded strange, almost foreign.

"Thangk you." I was confused, and then my eyes fell to her arm. The wound was healed, though there was an angry looking scar in its place, a life-long reminder of the pain. I didn't understand how it happened, but I simply nodded, and then she walked away. I followed her with my eyes until she disappeared around the corner of a dilapidated house.

I clutched my shoulder, feeling the raw, crusty skin beneath my fingers. It hurt, but I tried to ignore the pain. I ate some of the fruit, while waiting for the others to wake up. For the first time, I noticed that Kimahri was not around; he probably went into the jungle to get some food. Lulu was the first to wake up, and I gestured with my good arm towards the basket.

"They brought food." Lulu ignored the basket, instead frowning at my shoulder.

"Yuna, we need to make a bandage for that." We hadn't had time the day before, needing to hurry, but now, we had to wait, anyway. She pointed her finger to my wound, whispering, and a stream of water flowed over it, cleaning it. It stung badly, and I flinched. When she was finished, she started to untie my sleeve.

"I never understood why Summoners have to wear such impractical clothing. Are you alright with removing your sleeves, so that we can use them as bandages…they really are useless." It was true, summoners clothing was beautiful, but so uncomfortable. I would be going against tradition, though it was never spelled out in the precepts how summoners were to dress, it was just expected. I figured that it couldn't matter that much whether or not I wear sleaves.

I nodded in consent, almost relieved that I would not have to wear the things anymore. She pulled it off, tearing it neatly into several strips, wrapping one tightly around my shoulder. When she finished, she reached for some fruit. By this time, Wakka and Tidus were sliding carefully from their own hammocks, and stumbling over to us, both excited at the sight of food. Tidus crumpled to his knees, reaching forward and grabbing a piece of fruit, wolfing it down as if he hadn't eaten in a week. Wakka also dropped himself to the ground, shoving food into his mouth. I took several more pieces, as did the others, and we all ate until there was none left. As we finished, Kimahri approached us, his movements slow and methodical, he was clearly very tired. It was a strange sight; I don't think I'd ever seen the Ronso appear weak. When he got to us, he sat down, looking at me, obviously searching for instruction. None of us had said a word as we ate; silence was becoming a close companion to us all. I looked at each of my friends in turn, all looking to me to know what our next step would be.

"We-I spoke with a villager. I will not heal those here. Those who are left…their wounds are minor; they will heal by themselves, with time. The dead have already been lost…We will go to the temple, and then back to Kilika village…" As I took in the faces of my friends and guardians, I saw only frowns. None of us wanted to leave them here in pain, but we had to.

"Then…we will leave the island, and go on to Luca." At the mention of Luca, I noticed Tidus flinch a bit, but it was so subtle, I wondered if I had actually seen it at all, I wondered if it had been my imagination.

"We will rest today and tonight, and we will rise before dawn, eat, and then work towards the temple. It will take several days, and when we get there, we can rest, and then…we will face the trials." Shivers ran down my spine at the idea of Kilika's trials. Many a summoner and guardian had died in them.

I received only grave nods from my guardians. Then, signifying that the matter was over, I stood up, and slowly raised myself into my hammock, careful not to put much weight on my injured arm. We all retired, to finally get the sleep we had lacked for the last few days.

TidusxYuna Always


	11. Burning Death

11 Burning Death

Slowly, I woke, gradually gaining awareness of the world around me. As I found myself back in the real world, the dreams, dreams of Zanarkand, slipped from my grasp, fading images, until I didn't even remember what it was that I had dreamed about. As soon as I fully realized that I was awake, I sat up fast, hoping that it wasn't dawn yet. I had forgotten that I was in a hammock, and it flipped over, dumping me haphazardly onto the floor of the Kilikan hut. I sat up, rubbing my lower back, which I had fallen on. Wakka started to mumble something, though I wasn't sure what it was, and Lulu sat straight up in bed, though she managed to keep her balance, instantly alert, ready to fight. Then she realized that it was just me. "Oh, Yuna. What was that sound?" she said, her eyes sweeping every corner of the hut. Kimahri was curled in a tight ball, almost like a kitten, in one corner, while Tidus and Wakka each lay fast asleep in their hammocks. Wakka had his mouth open, and he let out a very loud gargling snore. I smiled at this, and the corners of Lulu's mouth turned slightly upward for a second, before returning to their usual, neutral shape.

"Nothing. I fell out of my hammock." The corners of her mouth twitched again, then, she carefully lowered herself to the floor, going over to Wakka's hammock. She smiled mischievously at me, grabbing his bright red-orange cowlick, and tugging it slightly. Usually, Lulu was way too serious. But then occasionally she would act like she did when we were all just kids. Back then the world seemed like a much better place.

Wakka's hands went up to his cowlick, as he slowly opened his eyes. He sat up, glaring at Lulu, and we all snickered, until all eyes went to Tidus' hammock. He was sitting up, staring at us, a blank look on his face, he almost looked mad. Lulu let out a slight cough, crossing her arms as she reverted to her normal self, and Wakka adopted Tidus' unhappy look, and I realized that we didn't have time for our temporary diversion from the pain in the world. I began to sink back into depression, though I didn't let it show on my face. I turned to wake Kimahri, but jumped when I saw him standing right behind me.

"Oh-Hi." I looked around the hut, meeting the silent gazes of each of my friends, then wandering out onto the dock. Beside the door, there was a basket of fruit, and I picked it up, while gazing at the night sky. The moon was low in the south side of the sky, though the sun had not yet risen from the north, the sky was still completely dark with the night. I walked back into the hut, carrying the basket.

"They left us food. Once we finish this, and let it settle, we will leave the village." I sat down, placing the basket on the floor. We all grabbed some, and I spoke between bites.

"We are still close to the mainland, we won't have to travel far before getting back into the jungle. We should go as far as we can in the cover of darkness, it will be easier when the fiends are still asleep."

I got silent nods as we all ate, knowing this may be our last peaceful meal for days. Once we finished, I lay back on the floor, closing my eyes, but then I sat up, blinking several times, shaking my head a bit, realizing that I had begun to doze off. I stood up, stretching, and then leaned on the wall, trying to stay awake. Kimahri stood by the door, arms crossed, tail twitching slightly. Wakka, yawned widely, saying,

"Lu, wake me up when we can go, kay?"

Lulu gave him an _"I'm not your mommy." _look, but nodded, a hint of a smile once again showing on her features. Tidus stood, and gloomily wandered out the door. Lulu sat with her back to the wall, eyes closed, but her lips were moving slightly, I think she was praying. After several minutes, when Tidus didn't return, I crept out the door, unnoticed by Lulu, though Kimahri watched me gravely from behind his permanent scowl.

I walked around the corner of the house, and found him leaning with his arm on the wall of the hut, forehead pressed against it. His shoulders were shaking slightly. He suddenly looked so young, so weak, so vulnerable… I quietly approached, and he jumped a little when I put my hand on his shoulder. He stepped backwards away from the wall, turning quickly away from me, wiping at his eyes.

"Are you okay?" He didn't answer me for a moment, still wiping at his face, but eventually, he turned around, frowning slightly, though it was not anger in his expression, it was sorrow. Even in the pale moonlight, I could see that his face was blotchy from crying, still moist with smeared tear tracks.

"I-it's just…I-I hate it here!" He turned around, looking towards the north, Zanarkand. "I just…just wanna go home…there's so much death here…so much pain."

I stepped forward, standing right beside him, but not looking at him.

"You…you could come with us…we're going to Zanarkand…" He looked to the side, towards me, excitement, and yet unbelief in his voice.

"Zanarkand?"

"Yes…but…it's not the Zanarkand you speak of…they say it's only ruins, that it's been that way ever since Sin attacked Zanarkand a thousand years ago…but…somehow…I hope-no, I think…you're right. There must be a living city there…you saw it, so did…Jecht…"

"My Zanarkand…ruins? Augh…I just don't understand this. Why did this have to happen?"

I was silent…my mind spinning, thinking of the supposed reasons why it happened, but somehow, I began to doubt it. "I couldn't come…Lulu hates me…"Suddenly, I got a feeling of rebellion. I knew that I was the summoner, I was the one in charge. I could invite anyone I wanted.

I turned to him, ready to ask him to be my guardian, but then there were footsteps on the dock, Kimahri, Lulu and Wakka approached us.I decided I would have to wait till later. "We're ready?"

Lulu eyed me warily, nodding slowly.

We were only a short distance away from the village exit, so we soon entered the jungle. Under the cover of the treetops, it was hard to see without the guiding light of the moon, but my eyes soon adjusted to the darkness. I could almost feel the Fayth calling to me, a deep whispery voice floating across the breeze. I followed it, letting it guide me toward the temple. After about half an hour of jogging, the jungle was beginning to brighten with the rising of the sun. I knew that as the sun rises, so do the fiends, so I slowed my jog to a brisk walk. We were already getting into the deeper parts of the jungle, where the villagers rarely went because of the dangerous fiends. I was in the lead, being the only one able to hear the call of the Fayth, and so I was the only one who knew which direction to go. As I was walking, I jumped a little as a small snake slithered from a bush across the path, but it left us alone, and it was just a normal animal, not a fiend. As we traveled on, Tidus walked beside me, looking miserable. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. We were all used to this, well, as used to it as anyone can get. But he just got thrown into this world without understanding why.

I glanced backwards to see where my guardians were. Kimahri followed behind us, searching the area in front of us for oncoming fiends, and Lulu and Wakka traveled a ways behind him. They were, as always, talking quietly while keeping their eyes constantly moving, searching for danger. Their voices where mere whispers, too quiet for me to catch more than a few words, "_months…few…want to…why it had..."_

I closed out the sound, focusing on the whispering fayth. I understood a few of the words floating through my mind, but not enough to mean anything. "_…child…pray…dream…end" _The words baffled me, I wondered what it could possibly mean, if he was trying to tell me something, or if it meant anything at all. As I was lost in my thoughts, suddenly, Kimahri shouted, "Get down!"

I snapped out of my thoughts, dropping to the ground, covering my head. I heard the loud buzzing noise of a group of bee fiends. I curled into as tight a ball as I could, hoping to be unnoticeable, and my guardians began to fight them. They were huge, for bees, the size of a large parrot. Their stingers were six or more inches long, sharp as spears, and tipped with poison. Needless to say, they were dangerous. There was a ruckus, shouting, Kimahri roaring, and the angry buzzing of bees, along with the screaming of pyreflies. The whole event lasted maybe thirty seconds, but it was all a blur. When the sound stopped, I uncurled myself, to take in the scene before me. Kimahri lay on the ground, spear in hand, with a wicked looking stinger in his shoulder. It was embedded deeply in the blue fur, green liquid mixed with the blood leaking from the wound. I ran up to him, and he let out a low growl as I grabbed the stinger, pulling it out in one, swift motion. His breathing was labored, I could feel the intense heat emanating from his body from the poison, his eyes started to flicker shut, but I prayed for healing, and within a few seconds, I could feel the pain in my own, already wounded shoulder. As it faded, Kimahri's breathing slowly returned to normal, the green poison dissolved as the deep wound closed itself. He nodded at me. "Kimahri thanks you."

My head was still spinning from the poison, but I nodded, unsteadily raising myself to my feet. I looked around, to see that all my guardians were fine. Tidus looked shaky, Wakka was breathing hard, and Lulu was dusting her skirt off. I did a mental once over of myself, making sure that I was uninjured, and my shoulder was complaining in pain from my previous injury, but other than that, I was fine.

"Are we all okay?"Lulu, and Wakka gave each other glances before nodding at me, and Kimahri also nodded, crossing his arms, completely healed from his wound. My gaze turned to Tidus, who was unharmed, and not winded, just scared. I could tell he was trying not to show it, but it was hard not to notice. Obviously, he wasn't used to this kind of thing in Zanarkand. We've been simply forced to deal with so much, to just keep on living despite it, and so often we don't.

"Good; we will move on." I fell back into place, taking the lead, following the sound of the Fayth's whispering call.

After several minutes of walking, I looked back at my guardians. Kimahri was very alert, walking in a crouched position, tail twitching back and forth, clutching his spear, though Wakka and Lulu seemed more absorbed in their conversation than ever.

The two were getting close. They had been close for years, but I'd never seen them talk so much. I wished that I had someone to talk to like that.

I looked to the blond boy walking beside me. His head turned from side to side, watchfully taking in every bit of the surroundings. As I was looking at him, I tripped in some of the deep overgrowth that was beginning to replace the path, landing on my hands and knees. I let out a surprised shout, alerting my guardians to my blunder. "Yuna! You okay?" Wakka's anxious shout came from behind me. Tidus took my arm, helping me to my feet. I could feel my face reddening, wondering if he noticed me staring, and knew that that was why I had tripped. Concerned showed on his tired face, his expression asking the question for him,_"What's wrong? Are you alright?"_

I glanced back at Wakka, catching Lulu's annoyed expression before looking back at Tidus, my face reddening further when I realized that he was still holding onto my arm. I looked at the ground, pulling it away and hurrying forward. "I-I'm fine."

We walked on, stepping carefully through the thickening undergrowth. It was slowing our progress, and offered many hiding places for fiends. I could not help but feel a slight nervousness stirring in the pit of my stomach. Something just didn't seem right. It was so quiet… None of us spoke as we walked on, not even Wakka and Lulu.

I think we all noticed the quiet. There was no chirping of birds, no buzzing of bees, no sound at all, besides our panting breaths and our feet shuffling through the leaves and brush covering the ground. We traveled on, the heat continually increasing, sweat running down our foreheads. Half an hour passed, then an hour, then another.

Hunger was beginning to gnaw at my stomach, but I ignored it, seeing that there were no fruit trees around. Though the air was filled with moisture, my throat was dry, it was hard to swallow. As we walked, my eyes alternated between checking the ground in front of me to make sure I would not take another embarrassing fall, and sweeping the surroundings, looking for oncoming danger. I brought my arm up to wipe the sweat from my brow, and that was when it happened. Kimahri and Wakka both warned me with shouts, and Lulu let out a loud and frantic prayer. From behind the surrounding trees came several fire-bomb fiends, fiends that care nothing for their own survival, just as long as their victim dies. Extremely dangerous, because their attack causes an explosion of fire, which consumes the body of the victim, then lights its pyrefly on fire, an undying flame which consumes the wandering soul in agony for all of eternity. I screamed as chaos ensued, explosions of ice and fire going off around me, all in a blur of motion and screaming pyreflies.

"YUNA!" Kimahri's shout reached my ears, but not in time for me to move out of the way of an oncoming fiend. I screamed as it flew towards me, its body trembling in flight in anticipation of its final action. Then, it happened, too fast for my mind to even fully register it. Someone shoved me out of the way, just as the monster erupted as it collided with my rescuer. I felt the searing heat, the wave of hot air driving me further from the flames.

I heard an agony filled cry, no doubt the scream of the one who had just taken the attack for me. I rolled over, getting my bearings. There were more pain filled shrieks, and the frightened cries of my guardians, though no other sounds. The fiends had been vanquished. As I took in the sight, I saw Tidus rolling uselessly on the ground, trying in vain to put out the flames that were eating away at his flesh. In the bushes behind him lay Lulu, unconcious.

I screamed in horror, knowing that I could not help him. He would burn to death before I had a chance to heal him, I couldn't go near to him to heal him now, or I would catch fire also, and die with him. Wakka let out a bellow, but could do nothing, just as I couldn't. When Tidus was too weak to roll anymore, he raised his head slightly, his cries of agony ceasing, his eyes met mine before his head drooped in defeat.

TidusxYuna Always


	12. Mind Numbing

12 Mind Numbing

I fell to my knees, pounding the ground, fighting against the desire to run over and try to heal him from the consuming flames. I knew I couldn't, though. It was a sacrifice that had to be made. I tried to make myself let him go, but I was losing the battle. I pressed my forehead against the ground, his screams echoing in my mind, the heat from the flames that were eating his body stinging my own, but I ignored it.

Then I faced the dying boy and with a powerful resolve I softly said, "Blizzard." while pointing at him. I willed it to be a gentle ice, hoping not to kill him, but I knew that there was no way it could get worse. By the blessing of Yevon, it was actually snow that formed on him, instantly melting and putting out the fire.

I was so surprised that it actually worked, I had finally mastered the element in our moment of desperation, that for a second I didn't react. He moaned in agony, his eyes remaining shut. I got up and ran to him, placing my hands on his charred forehead, praying my heart out to Yevon. He writhed in torture, as the seconds passed, I began to panic, thinking that he was too close to death to be healed.

Then, I felt as if my skin was being torn from my body, fire running through my veins. I screamed, but then the feeling subsided. I opened my eyes, and there, laying on the ground was Tidus, eyes shut, though completely healed, as if nothing had ever happened. Even his clothes were unharmed. I only vaguely noticed this, I was too overwhelmed by the shock to even think about why. His head rolled back and forth, as if clearing his mind from a nightmare. I was so relieved that he was alive that I almost fell over, but when his eyes opened and he smiled weakly at me, I started laughing instead. I had no idea why, I was just so shaken by the whole incident, I didn't even know how to react. They all watched me as if I was crazy, and when I finally got a hold of myself, I shook my head a little, giving Tidus a quick hug, and offering a hand to help him up. He took it, though he stood up basically on his own, barely leaving any weight on my hand, just holding onto it. When he let go, I looked down, clasping my hands together.

"You-you saved my life. Thank you." He had no idea that he had also just saved my soul…

He smiled slightly, though it was tired and worn.

"Anytime. And, you saved mine…Thanks." I nodded at him. Then, I looked over at Lulu, who had woken. She had a giant bruise on her head, apparently she had been knocked out by being struck with something. I went over and gentle touched the bruise and it soon diminished. "Thank you." Lulu walked on, and Wakka followed dumbly after her, Kimahri too, though he gave me a glance to make sure I was okay.

I struggled to take a step, but found that my body was shaking uncontrollably, my breaths coming in short bursts of panic, my heart pounding furiously. He had almost spent an eternity burning because of me.

I spread out my hands slightly, trying to keep my balance, as I closed my eyes, thanking Yevon for his rescue, trying to calm myself. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder. I leapt forward, nearly flinging myself from my unsteady legs into the mud. A strong hand caught my arm, and an arm came around my waist, holding my up. I turned my head to see who it was who had caught me, but I already knew.

All my guardians were walking on, expecting me to continue on. No, it was the one person who was not my guardian, who was truly guarding me, strengthening me. As I expected, when I turned my head, Tidus' face was only inches away from my own, concern written on his expression. His hands slowly pulled away, making sure that I was once again able to stand. My whole body was still stinging from healing him, and my muscles were achy.

I stepped backwards away from him, struggling to walk, pain shot through each burning muscle as I put my weight on it. Still, I sped up, catching up with my guardians in a few moments. Tidus walked beside me the whole way, saying nothing, simply ready to catch me if I fell again. With every passing moment, I wanted him to be my guardian more and more. I was weak and I knew it. I could not escape the fact. I knew I would grow stronger with time, but I could hardly do my task. And my guardians, Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri...They knew that I was weak, they just ignored it, hoping that if they didn't acknowledge it that it would leave. But it wouldn't.

I pulled myself from my thoughts, realizing that I could no longer hear the Fayth through the sound of my mind's voice. I had once again taken the lead, my guardians following silently behind, listening for more fiends. The sounds of the jungle slowly began to return, hopefully a sign that the danger had passed. I listened harder, the Fayth's baritone voice once again entering my mind.

It seemed fainter now, than it had been before, I could not understand any of his words, though I was able to follow it. The sun was beginning to reach its peak, its blistering heat burning through the treetops' leaves, beating down mercilessly on us. My throat was dry and scratchy, my skin soaked and itchy from my sweat. I felt tired and shaky, though I pressed on. Insects landed on my skin, biting me, leaving countless tiny, painful red welts, but I ignored them.

Tidus occasionally slapped himself, in an attempt to rid himself of the annoying creatures, but he eventually figured out that is was useless. I was breathing hard, opening my mouth wide to get more of the precious oxygen from the damp, muggy air, but to no avail. I suddenly heard some rustling leaves, and I could feel my guardians tense around me, Tidus stepping closer to me, his eyes wildly scanning the trees surrounding us, no doubt remembering the painful events of several hours earlier.

Then, vine shot out from a nearby tree, and Tidus pushed me aside, both of us falling to ground, being scraped by the brush, the vine narrowly missing us. Tidus knelt over me, a shield against more attacks as my guardians fought a small but swift plant fiend. No one was injured, and the battle lasted a mere moment, before the area once again grew quiet, and Tidus stood, helping me up with him, and then, not letting go of my hand, beginning to walk onward. He looked sideways at me, fear dancing in his eyes. He spoke under his breath before letting go of my hand."Let's get out of this place."

I agreed, though I knew it would be days before we could leave for Luca. The thought of leaving this island, being able to rest on a boat, on the way to Luca, was sounding more and more pleasant every day, even despite the fear of Sin attacking again. In actuallity this journey through the Kilikan jungle was even more dangerous that traveling on the sea. Lulu had told me that Kilika was the most dangerous part of Spira, and also probably the hardest to travel. The heat and lack of water, the fiends, the fire, everything about Kilika was dangerous, that is why people chose to live on docks, built off the land, only entering the jungle to get food and resources.

I tried to keep a careful eye out for more danger, while listening to the ever fading sound of the Fayth's call, but white and black spots where appearing in my vision, making it hard to see anything. Eventually, I had to strain just to hear the call, and I could hardly even see what was in front of me, let alone keep an eye out for danger.

The air was still damp and thick, but the air was beginning to cool, signifying that it would soon be night. My body was begging me to stop now, but I knew that as long as I could, I would go on. I knew by the fayth's call, that I was coming towards it, yet, it was getting harder and harder to hear. Still, I pushed on. From beside me, I heard Tidus' stomach announce grumpily that it had been far to long since we had eaten, but there was nothing I could do about it.

The jungle had few trees for food, usually, people on Kilika would eat mostly fish, though it seems with the recent attack, the Kilikans would rather brave the jungle to find food than go out into the sea to fish. Right now, I would have taken either happily, but there was no food around.

As we traveled on, my legs began to fall asleep, prickles running up and down them with every step, and I finally could not even hear the Fayth's call. Night was once again upon us, and I knew I had to stop. "We'll rest here." I stumbled into a tiny clearing, between two trees, collapsing on the hard ground, my eyes fluttering shut, sleep instantly taking over my senses.

Blackness surrounded me. I didn't know where I was. I heard "Sin!" being shouted over and over. I felt like I was being pelted with stones, my shoulder felt sore and hot, a sticky substance, blood, oozing from it.

I faintly heard my father's voice, though I could not understand any words except,

"Yuna."

As the screams slowly faded, though the pain did not, my father's voice echoed over and over, getting louder and louder, until it grew so loud, it was as if he was shouting, though his voice still sounded calm.

"Yuna."

"Yuna.""YUNA."

"Yuna. Wake up." "Hmm?" I blinked my sore, tired eyes, seeing Lulu leaning over me. "Yuna. We should go. It's almost dawn." I closed my eyes for a second, wishing that I was back in my wonderful, soft cot in Besaid, and I could wrap myself in my blanket, lose myself in sleep.

I groaned, stretching as I slowly forced myself to sit up. I examined the bandage on my shoulder, which was stained with dried blood.

I forced myself to my feet, immediately taking in my surroundings, and listening intently for the Fayth. His voice was much stronger this morning that it had been the day before, perhaps I had simply not been able to hear it because I had been tired. I leaned over, hunger gnawing at my empty stomach.

Kimahri was standing near by, arms crossed, and eyes half closed. Wakka and Tidus weren't around, and my eyes swept the surrounding area for them. I began to feel uneasy, wondering if they were safe. Then I saw Wakka, curled up under a bush, about twenty feet away. I went to wake him, and he sat up groggily, habitually straightening his cowlick. "Wakka, do you know where Tidus is?"

"I see him." Lulu's voice sounded almost bewildered, and yet pleased, and I looked in her direction to see what she saw. She was looking into a bush, and I walked over, Wakka meandering behind me, still trying to fully wake up. When I reached Lulu, I gazed into the bush, and there, lay Tidus, a small pile of mangled fruit at his feet, a piece gripped tightly in each of his hands. I just didn't understand how he did it. Apparently either people from Zanarkand have naturally way too much energy and strength, or Tidus was very unique. It seems that when the rest of us are too exhausted to take another step, that's when he goes to find food.

Wakka instantly became more alert when he saw the fruit, and leaned over into the bush, slapping Tidus in the back. "Brudda! Wake up, ya! We gotta eat!" "Huuhh?" Tidus groaned, rolling over, kicking the pile of fruit, mangling some of it further. "Aaah!" Wakka reached down, grabbing the fruit away from Tidus' feet, handing some of it to Lulu, and then another handful to me, and keeping the last two pieces in his own hands, taking a large bite. He shoved Tidus with his foot, stuffing more of the fruit into his mouth, and trying to swallow, but choking on the pit, coughing it out. The slimy, hard seed shot right into Tidus' face, and he grimaced in disgust.

"Eww!" He flung it away from his face, sitting up and scowling at Wakka. "Sowwee brugga!" Wakka mumbled through a mouthful of fruit. Lulu let out a quiet snort, clearly unimpressed by the childish behavior. Tidus noticed the fruit still gripped in his hands, and promptly stuffed it into his mouth. Lulu and I took this as an invitation to also eat, and I gratefully consumed a piece of the strange, bitter fruits, before Wakka reached into my armful, grabbing three, shoving almost an entire piece in his mouth at once.

It didn't take us more than about five minutes to finish off the fruit, and I'm sure that none of us was satisfied, but it was all there was. The fruit really tasted awful, but we were all so hungry, we would have eaten just about anything. I sat, pulling the makeshift bandage from my now very sore shoulder, revealing a puffy, red, infected wound. I rolled my arm, grimacing at the pain. Our efforts to avoid infection had failed. There was no way I'd be able to perform a sending with this…

TidusxYuna Always


	13. The Sting of Poison

13 The Sting of Poison

I rolled my arm, feeling my sore, festering wound silently protest, confirming to me what I already knew. If someone needs to be sent, I would be unable to help, because performing a sending requires full concentration, and smooth, flowing movements. Because of the pain, I would not be able to accomplish either, no matter how much I wanted to.

I looked miserably at my friends, but then realized that the people of Spira aren't the only ones who need to see a summoner who still has hope, my guardians were normal people, too. I was afraid because I knew that only a few of many ever escape the trials on Kilika. More guardians die there than in any other. I felt my smile sagging at the thought of losing any of them…I looked at each of them as we took our last minutes of rest for the day. Lulu sat close to me on my right.

Lulu was like a big sister to me, and sometimes even a mother. She's such a good friend, and she'd taught me so much; both small and large things. She taught me how to cook, how to start a fire and sew. Tiny things like that, that Mother never had a chance to teach me. Lulu had taught me bigger things too. She was the one who first helped me to recognize my strong connection with Yevon, though she cursed herself for it later on, when I told her and Wakka that I would become a Summoner. And she taught me how to create the element of ice, which then I had finally mastered. My thoughts turned to Wakka, who was sitting unusually close to Lulu. I smiled. Wakka and Lulu had a very strange friendship. Sometimes they're like siblings. They've known each other since before either of them could speak, so sometimes they have a very sibling-like relationship. Other times, besides the way she looks, she could easily be his mother; sometimes he's very childish. I smiled at the treasured memories of his many blunders.

Kimahri stood nearby, but outside of the circle. As usual, he stood with arms crossed, keeping his eyes searching the nearby trees and bushes for signs of danger. Though at first glance, he seemed hard and unkind, even uncaring, he's simply the quiet type. He was like a father to me, though he could never replace my real father.

My eyes moved on the next, and last one in our group. Tidus. He sat, legs crossed, his head rested in his hands, with his elbows propped up on his knees. He looked tired and sad, and I didn't think any worse of him for it. I knew so little about him, though I'd spent the last nine days with him. He's a star blitzer from Zanarkand, his father was my father's guardian, and that was just about all.

He glanced up, saw me staring at him, and smiled weakly, before his eyes returned to the ground which he had been fervently studying. I wondering why his clothes had not been damaged by the flames. As I looked closer, I realized that the blitz uniform had also had nicks and small tears. Now though the blood stains remained, it was undamaged. I didn't understand. My healing had never fixed clothing before. It didn't make any sense. Clothes were not living things, so how would I be able to heal them?

Unable to think of a good explanation, I rose to me feet, deciding that we must continue on. Once I felt that I knew the direction to go, I walked on, everyone following in their usual formation. I noticed that Tidus seemed particularly stiff, his walking seemed almost strained. I also noticed that he had quite a number of unexplained scratches and cuts on his arms and legs. For the first time, I wondered why exactly he had been sleeping inside a bush…I looked backwards towards it, noting the branches which were bent and broken at the top…there was a tree above it, which looked like it had recently held more branches that it did now, and I noticed some littering the jungle floor below. My mind began to piece together a scenario, but it seemed to ridicules to even consider. I glanced back at Tidus, who was still walking stiffly, almost shuffling.

"Are you okay?"

"Wha?" He seemed to struggle to turn his head, but failed, resorting instead to turning most of his body towards me so that he could look at me without twisting his neck. Now, I was almost certain that I was correct. "You seem hurt. Are you okay?" "Hurt? Ah…a little sore, but that's all." "You…" I had to stifle a giggle, though it really wasn't funny, the idea itself was a bit absurd. "You fell out of a tree, didn't you?" My voice was hushed enough, and we were far enough away from my guardians, that they wouldn't hear what I said. If I was right, there was no need to embarrass him.

His expression turned sheepish, and he tried to nod, but grimaced a little at the pain in his neck.

"…Yeah…" "I can heal you…If we're attacked by fiends, it wouldn't be good if you can't move properly." He turned again to be facing the way we were walking, just in time to notice a root growing from the ground right were he was walking. He jumped over it just in time to miss falling, and winced even more at the shock from landing. "Uh…I didn't want to bother you over such a little thing…"

"It doesn't look like it's as little as you say…here, it'll just be quick." He stopped, consenting, and I placed a hand on the back of his neck.

"Yuna! What are you doing?" Lulu's question sounded more like a command, meant to say, "_Yuna! Stop that right now!" _I felt myself blush a little, realizing that it did look a bit awkward, and removed my hand, hurriedly explaining. "He-he's stiff, his neck hurts. I figured I should heal him now, so that in case of a battle, he won't be injured already, so he can fight at his best."

"Fight?" Lulu scoffed. "When was the last time you fought?" She directed the question at Tidus, who was studying a nearby tree's bark as if it was very interesting. "Uh…um…"

"Yuna, he doesn't fight. He's a BLITZ player." Wakka stood by, watching the whole scene, glancing back and forth between Lulu and me." Yes, but…" "What Yuna's try'in ta say is, she doesn't want any of us ta get hurt, guardian or not." Lulu gave Wakka a sharp look, but it quickly softened, and she waved her hand dismissively.

"Fine. We've wasted enough time." I replaced my hand, still feeling a bit shy, and tried to concentrate on praying to Yevon. After a moment, I felt an uncomfortable stiffness in my spine, but it quickly faded, and Tidus sighed in relief, rolling his neck back and forth, arching his back a bit.

"Wow. That feels a lot better! Thanks." I smiled, walking onward. "You're welcome."

The day went on as the past ones had, almost no talking, mostly for lack of any pleasant subjects, though partially from the fact that I knew if I tried to talk to Tidus about Zanarkand, which was the only interesting subject that I could think of, I didn't want to get Lulu mad, or embarrass Tidus, seeing as it seems as though I was the only one who even believed him. We'd all seen some strange things, so it was lost to me as to why they wouldn't accept him.

For hours, we walked without incident, the sun was already sinking into the south when we encountered a strange and dangerous fiend which flew from in among the trees. It was a formation that looked like floating rocks, lit on fire, which can throw fire from itself to its target.

"FIEND!" Kimahri shouted, running over to hide me from it behind his large body, because these fiends are very tough, weapons do almost nothing to them. Wakka placed himself between Lulu and the fiend while she prayed. Tidus ran up to the monster, slicing at it with his sword, though it was not effected. Fire shot from the fiend down his sword when it made contact, lighting his glove on fire. He dropped his sword shaking his hand as Lulu shot a stream of ice at the fiend.

It dissolved into smoke and pyreflies, floating away harmlessly. Tidus managed to put the flames on his glove out before it burned his hand, but his glove was in bad shape. He pulled it off, looking disappointedly at it, for some reason, and then shoving it into his pocket, and picking up his sword with his now bare hand. "Idiot." Lulu growled. "You could have gotten yourself killed again." He scowled at her, for the first time actually showing her how he really felt about the way she treated him.

"I KNOW! I don't understand this world! I can't help it if I'm and idiot! You know what? I don't care! If I die, at least I won't have to deal with this anymore!"

He waved his hand towards her, and then swung it around himself, indicating the world around us. Then, he turned, and stomped off. It made me feel really sad when they fought, I just wanted to have as happy a pilgrimage as possible, to make some happy memories before losing my existence when I gave it up to summon the final aeon. I walked after Tidus, listening more for the fayth. I was beginning to get used to the lack of food, though I still felt the hunger in my empty stomach.

As we made our way further through the deepest part of the jungle, Tidus walked beside me, obviously still fuming, and keeping his eyes on the ground. I didn't know anything to say that might make him feel better, so I just let him work it out with himself. As dusk was fading into night, I noticed a group of bushes covered in berries.

"Look!" I exclaimed, seeing food, and suddenly feeling very excited at the prospect of actually having something to eat, and then having a full night's rest. Simple things which I used to take for granted were beginning to feel like huge blessings, now.

"There's some berry bushes!"

"Eh?" Wakka sounded glad, and we all moved quickly towards the bushes. Tidus finally looked up from his staring match with the ground, and got an expression on his face that I was growing used to from him and Wakka. It was the, "_FOOOOOOOOOOOD!" _Look, which stated excitedly that we were going to fill our empty stomachs.

We got down on our knees, grabbing the small, berries from the plants. None spoke as we hungrily consumed the food, except for a few sounds of disgust at the beginning: The berries were just about the most gross tasting thing I'd ever eaten. Much more bitter than the fruit we'd eaten this morning, and the seeds were like clumps of coarse sand in the centers. Still, we ate it, and ate it thankfully, knowing that we could not ever know for sure if we would get food any time soon.

When we'd finished, there was some to be desired, but we had cleaned all three of the bushes completely of their fruit, and that was as good as it was going to get. I began to realize that we probably should have left some for the morning, but I knew that it was too late now…

We all soon fell asleep, laying right were we were, to tired to even look for softer ground to lie on.

My eyes flickered open, and the sunlight was already beginning to filter through the trees. My friends were sprawled out haphazardly around me, all still asleep. I shook Lulu, who was closest to me, and she woke with a start, sitting up quickly, hands raised, ready to fight. I noticed this fondly, thinking that it was so much like her to be ready to fight the minute she wakes up, whereas the rest of us usually are tired and groggy when we first get up.

She took in the surroundings before acknowledging me. "Yuna, it's far too late. We must be going, now."

I nodded, agreeing, and went to wake Kimahri while she woke Wakka. I heard from behind me Wakka's peeved voice, as she apparently woke him up the way that we and Chappu would always wake him up when we were kids: Pull the cowlick. It was funny, and it always annoyed him, just slightly. I smiled at the memories, and then went over to Tidus as Kimahri got his bearings. He was curled up in a ball, a mournful expression on his face, hugging his knees.

He started to mumble something, and I tried to understand it, before I woke him up. I could only understand one word, _"Mom!" _Sympathy coursed through me, I knew what it felt like to lose parents. I gently shook him by his shoulder, waking him from his apparent nightmare. He frowned as he opened his eyes, and stared at me a moment before recognition came into his eyes.

"Oh…hi, Yuna." "Hi. It's morning, we need to leave." He sat up, looking around, his eyes widening, and jumping up. "Wow! It's late!"

We had lost a lot of time, and very soon, the fiends would be rising, so we had given up the time of peaceful travel for a few more hours of sleep. I knew there was no point in rushing, as that would actually work against us in the long run, as we would be too tired to get a full day of travel in, or worse, we would be to weak to fight a battle.

I kept finding myself yawning, and my eyes kept trying to droop shut. The lack of enough sleep was catching up to me. I think we were all tired. By the time the sun was at it's peak, we still had not encountered any fiends, but I knew our luck wouldn't hold out forever. I was right. By the time the suffocating air began to cool, we were attacked. We had stumbled across another hive of killer bee fiends, and they were mad.

They all attacked at once, and there was a flurry of movement, sizzling magic, the stench of burning flesh, and the screams of pyreflies. Before I knew what was happening, I felt something stab painfully into my back. I cried out, leaning backwards, falling on the bee that had stabbed me with it's poison tipped stinger, driving it further into my body. I heard more shouting around me, but everything began to fade, as the edges of my vision started turning green, and then black. I struggled to stay awake, but my attempt was futile, and I fell into an agony filled slumber.

TidusxYuna Always


	14. Sleeping in Death

14 Sleeping in Death

As the evening faded into darkness, I was beginning to look forward to a full night of rest, to retreat into my dreams, back home, back to Zanarkand. The only place my Zanarkand seemed to exist anymore was in my dreams…

But now, we seemed to have disturbed a hive of bee fiends. They all swarmed towards us at once, buzzing furiously. Yuna crouched, covering her head with her hands, and I grabbed open air, the sword Wakka'd given me materializing in my hand. It was still a strange experience, but I was getting used to it. Lulu reached out her hands, placing them on the blitzball Wakka was offering her. There was a flash of sparks, and then Wakka drew the ball back, and with near perfect aim, nailed one of the bees. I never thought a blitzball could be such a dangerous weapon.

I positioned myself in front of Yuna, trying to block the fiends, which seemed particularly attracted to her. Two were flying at us at once, and I reached out the sword, stabbing at one, and then swinging it to the side, hitting the other. Lulu pointed from one bee to the next, bolts of lightning shooting from her fingers, savagely zapping the creatures. They fell to the ground, their bodies quickly dissolving into pyreflies, leaving behind an awful stench of singed flesh. I swung around, barely blocking another fiend from attacking Yuna, but three more where coming. Kimahri thrust his spear at one, and Wakka's ball bounced off another, but the last one stabbed it's huge stinger deep into Yuna's side. She let out a scream, and I shouted in chorus with Wakka and Lulu, "No!"

I sliced the bee in half before it even had a chance to try to fly away. Lulu vanquished the last one, and we all gathered around our fallen Summoner. She curled around herself, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, whimpering softly, before going completely silent, and limp. What I was thinking then was that she couldn't die, she just couldn't die, because she was meant to save the world.

I dropped to my knees, placing my hands on her shoulders, rolling her onto her stomach, to get a better look at the stinger, which was sticking out of her back. Wakka looked on in silence as Lulu fingered it.

"We can't pull it out. If we do, she might bleed to death." I knew she was right, I had heard that this was true, in Zanarkand, but my natural reaction was to want to pull it out, right now. There was a bit of blood along with green goo, poison, oozing around the wound. I felt sick. It was simply horrible. I wanted to know why she had to go through all that just to defeat a big monster. I wanted to know why there wasn't an easier way. It just wasn't fair.

Lulu rose from her kneeling position, by Yuna's side, an air of decisiveness in her voice, she seemed unshaken by the delicate circumstances. "We must hurry to the temple. If we cannot get her to a healer, she will die." I was astonished, wondering how in the world Lulu could be so calm about what she was saying.

Kimahri pushed me out of the way, leaning down and carefully lifting Yuna's limp body, before continuing on in the direction we had been going before. He walked quickly, faster than we had been going previously. I didn't have to know or understand this world to see that this poison was serious stuff.

I could already tell, her skin was taking on a sickly green tint. I had to jog to keep up with the blue beast's gait, glancing at Yuna every few moments, though she didn't wake. We kept moving on, I assumed, towards the temple. I was thankful that it was now cool, the sun almost completely hidden beyond the horizon, because I knew that jogging would have been exhausting in the day's heat.

I gave the girl hanging limply in Kimahri's arms another glance, hoping that she could hang on until we got there. It felt like there would be no end to our journey through this awful jungle, and the night got darker with each passing hour. Yuna didn't show any signs of consciousness, and though we kept on almost all night, I saw nothing that showed that we were near civilization.

I could hear Lulu and Wakka's exhausted, panting breaths behind me, and I looked at them, just to see how they were doing. They both looked like they were about to fall asleep while they were still going. Wakka's feet barely left the ground, they only raised high enough to put one foot in front of the other. Lulu looked even worse.

I was now very thankful for my vigorous blitzball training in Zanarkand. Without that, I would never be able to make it. Also, I was used to staying up all night with my team mates, celebrating our wins. Our favorite place to go was the amusement park. We'd ride all the fastest, scariest rides all night, and have so much fun, people would scream when we walked by…I missed those days. I feared that I would never be able to go back.

I looked again at Yuna, and suddenly felt so selfish. All I wanted was to go home, so I could have fun with my friends, and get squealed about by girls, but she was risking her life to save her world, with seemingly no thought for her own pleasure… "Kimahri, We must rest."

Lulu's voice was raspy and the words were gasped out, clearly, she was not used to being up jogging all night. "Lulu right. We rest." Kimahri stopped, gently laying Yuna down on the decaying leaves covering the jungle floor. "It's gett'n close ta sunrise. We gotta have someone stay up ta watch for fiends…"

Wakka plopped himself down, his head drooping involuntarily towards his lap, before her jerked it back up, struggling to stay alert. Lulu sat down also, her eyelids sliding shut, before she blinked them open again. Now that I looked closer, I could tell that Kimahri was no better off than his comrades. Though I didn't have the excitement and thrill of an amusement park, I knew that I could stay awake much more easily than the rest of them.

"I'll watch…" I cringed at the look Lulu gave me. Man, this woman was so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open, and yet she was still able to find the energy glare at me. I guessed that the reason she was upset about my statement was the fact that she continuously rubbed in that I was not a guardian. But then, she seemed to change her mind, giving one simple word.

"Good." With that, she promptly fell asleep, and Wakka toppled into his own lap, beginning to snore. Kimahri nodded at me. "Protect Yuna." he commanded, before curling up like a kitten right next to her, and letting out a purr before drifting off to sleep. I stared at the group, all sleeping, too tired to stay awake if their lives depended on it. I imagined snidely saying to Lulu how there were some advantages to having a pro blitzer with them.

I actually smirked at the sleeping woman, but then wanted to hit myself, wondering how I could possibly smile, in such a dire situation. Then again, for some unexplainable reason, Yuna smiled a lot. I walked in circles around the group, half to keeping myself awake, and half to make sure I saw every inch of the surroundings. I hoped badly that no fiends would come. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves made my skin crawl. Just thinking about the agony from almost burning to death made me want to pass out. It was worse than anything I could ever have imagined. I wondered if I had to do it again, if I would, if I would take the flames for Yuna.

I looked over at the girl lying on the jungle floor, her body weak and frail, her skin shriveled; she was getting worse. I thought about how she was trying to save the world, and about Kilika.

Chills of horror ran down my spine as memories of the recent tragedies flowed through my mind. All I was trying to do was get home, but if it happened again, she could heal me, but no herself. If she burned, even if Lulu put the fire out, she'd die, and lose her chance to defeat the monster, Sin.

My head was spinning with thoughts. Never in my wildest dreams…no, nightmares…had I ever imagined anything like this happening to me. If someone back in Zanarkand had told me this would happen, I would've said they were drunk. Very drunk. And yet, here I am. I pinched myself, once, twice, but it didn't help, just like it hadn't helped the dozens of times of times before. I was actually starting to get sleepy, and the sun was just starting to change the night into day. My eyes were sore and tired, but I kept them alert, knowing that with every passing moment, as the sun rose, so did the fiends with it. I kicked at a branch lying in my way, which I had walked passed more than two hundred times since the others fell asleep.

When we first got to Kilika, I had decided I'd do anything to help those people. I wasn't so sure now. I had made that decision from shock. Then again, what was it worth? If I could help them, would I really forgo that, just to get back to my life of fame and fun?

I didn't have a chance to decide. That's when I saw them. Three bomb fiends came from three different directions, slowly closing in on their target. Yuna. "Fiiiiieeend!" I screamed, unable to control the fear that was clawing at my gut. My palms started sweating, I could hardly hold onto my sword, my head felt fuzzy, but I struggled to maintain concentration.

Kimahri and Lulu both leapt up, ready for action almost the second they did. Kimahri ran towards one of them with no concern for his own safety, stabbing it straight through with his spear. There was an explosion of heat and fire, throwing him across the jungle floor, and knocking Lulu over just as she was extending her hands towards another in prayer. Wakka stood up, but was basically useless without Lulu. He started to help her up, as the whole thing unfolded around me, almost in slow motion.

I had to make the decision: run away from the danger, or save Yuna's life, and possibly many more in Spira, and probably lose my own. I ran towards the monster closest to Yuna, stabbing at it with my sword, slicing into its leathery outer layer, and causing an explosion of blistering heat to fling me across the ground, my skin stinging, but not burning.

I tried to shake the stars from my vision, but I couldn't see anything. There was a sound like glass breaking, and ice crystals rained down on me, slicing into my skin, but not hurting me badly.

I rolled over onto my back, sitting up, and tried to make sense of the jumbled figures dancing in front of my vision. Slowly, it all came into focus. Kimahri was standing over Yuna, arms crossed, Lulu was kneeling by her, sweeping her hair from her face, and Wakka stood next to her, leaning over Yuna, his hands on his hips, blitzball tucked underneath his right arm. I struggled to my feet, stumbling over to them. "Is she okay?"

Lulu gazed up at me, a with look of gratitude that I had never seen from her. "She is fine. Thank you." She seemed almost ashamed to show gratefulness. "Brudda…if ya didn't stay awake ta warn us…we wouldn't be alive right now…Yuna might never have lived to finish her pilgrimage. We owe ya our lives." He gave me a hefty, but friendly pat on the back, which I had not been expecting, and sent my toppling towards Yuna.

I shouted in surprise, tucking my head and pushing forward with my feet, flinging myself over her, and into a roll, finishing a few feet away from her, having successfully evaded falling on her, and injuring her, and also a possible death-by-Lulu as a result. "Hehe…sorry brudda…" Wakka scratched the back of his neck self consciously. I stood up, rubbing my head, and then suddenly, we were all business. Lulu rose, gesturing towards Yuna.

"Kimahri, we must leave." Kimahri grunted, lifting Yuna and taking wide, quick strides, onward in the same direction we'd traveled all night. I raised my hand to stop them, knowing that after the adrenaline wore off, I would be exhausted from not sleeping for and entire day and night. That's when I saw Yuna's eye lids flicker, and she let out a pained moan. I clamped my mouth shut, telling myself to just do it. I gave myself a little pep talk, silently telling myself that I was the star of the Zanarkand Abes! A little lack of sleep wasn't gonna hurt me!

Despite this, and much more encouragement I gave myself over the next few hours of slow jogging, my body was shouting at me, that I desperately needed rest. My legs ached, my eyes burned, and every time my one of my feet hit the ground for another step, the shock ran up my leg into my spine, up my neck, giving me a bad headache. Regardless, I kept on going, though I kept catching my eyelids trying to droop shut.

I heard an ear-splitting screech as an oncoming bird fiend made a deadly mistake, alerting us to its presence as it flew towards Kimahri, carrying Yuna. He quickly spun around, blocking Yuna with his back. He curled over himself, ducking just a little too soon, giving the bird a chance to change its course, instead of flying over his head, as he had clearly planned. He roared as its beak stabbed deep into his side, just as Lulu finished praying, and at the same time that I reached it, and slashed at it with my sword. I was too late to save Kimahri, and by Lulu's prayer, it froze in a block of ice, sending a painful jolt up my arm when my sword hit the solid material.

The ice was quick to do its job, the bird dissolving into pyreflies which escaped the ice as it melted, floating into the treetops. No one said anything, but Kimahri growled in pain as he set Yuna on the ground, clutching at the badly bleeding wound with his clawed hand.

He growled even more as he stood up, letting out a low, pained roar. "We go! Wakka carry." "Got it." Wakka picked up Yuna as Kimahri walked ahead, leaving a trail of blood behind him. "Kimahri, wait. I'll seal it with a flame. You cannot keep going for long with that wound."

Kimahri turned around, his permanent frown twisted into a look of pain, but he merely grunted in response. Lulu placed a finger about a half an inch from the wound, whispering under her breath, and her little flame ignited. She pushed it towards the wound, searing the raw flesh, closing the blood vessels. There was a rumbling sound, and I would have said that Kimahri was purring, if I didn't know any better.

As soon as Lulu was finished, she withdrew her finger, and Kimahri stepped forward, faltering a bit, but quickly regaining his composure, and continuing on. The adrenaline from the battle wore off very quickly, leaving me more exhausted than ever. I was thankful that we weren't going so quickly anymore, and yet I worried, wondering if Yuna was going to be able to make it much farther.

I tried to step up the pace, but tripped, nearly falling headlong into the bushes. I managed to right myself, and kept moving forward, settling with walking, rather than nothing at all, falling asleep right were I was, which is what my body wanted me to do.

When darkness settled over the jungle, and the sounds of the night replaced the day's, the relief from the heat brought an even stronger desire to rest, but the others were still going. Wakka was obviously tiring from carrying Yuna, and he and the her guardians had still only gotten a few hours of sleep earlier this morning.

The dark jungle started to spin around me, and I could hardly keep my balance, the edges of my vision darkening further, until it was pitch black. I felt a dull pain, all over my body, as if I had been hit by a giant mallet, and then I felt nothing.

TidusxYuna Always


	15. Selfless or Selfish

15 Selfish or Selfless

I started to roll over, but something hard and sharp dug into my shoulder blade. I forced myself to sit up, blinking in the early morning light. I stood and looked around, dusting the leaves and dirt from my blitz uniform, remembering where I was. The sharp thing which had dug into my shoulder was just a rock, lying on the jungle floor. I had fallen over the night before, too tired to take another step...or maybe I had passed out, I don't know.

Yuna's guardians all lay near me, Yuna was near Wakka's feet. She looked much older than she really was, her eyes sunken into their sockets, her skin shriveled with the same green tint, only it had grown worse. I decided that I'd better wake the guardians up, so we could go on. I approached Wakka, my stomach growling loudly, pangs of hunger making it hard to stay upright. When I got close to him, I could hear Yuna's gurgling, rattling breaths. I shook Wakka, while keeping my eyes glued to the summoner lying near his feet. She looked so sick. Doubt overtook me. I feared that there wouldn't be any healers at the temple, that all this was for nothing.

My stomach growled at me again, and Wakka groaned a little, sitting up, rubbing his eyes. "Eh? What's goin' on?" "Wakka, uh, can you wake up Lulu for me?" The man's tired grimy face changed into a slightly amused grin as he pushed himself to his feet. "Hehe, it wouldn't be a good idea for ya ta try and wake her." His grin and joking manor disappeared, when he saw the girl lying at his feet.

He walked over to the sleeping mage, and I took a closer look at the woman, seeing that she did not look nearly as tough as she acted. Everything written in her features told me that she was exhausted. Her once neatly braided hair was now a mess, spread out everywhere, tangled and filthy. The rest of us were no better, small cuts, bruises and burns marked all of us, all under a layer of caked dust and dirt.

Wakka's red cowlick, which was always neat and straight for the first week or so that I knew him, now stuck out in every direction, but he didn't even notice. I cautiously approached the large blue cat-man lying on the ground, near Yuna.

I had never seen such a creature in Zanarkand, and it still kind of creeped me out, especially when he kept growling and purring from the pain of his injury. It looked serious, obviously pretty deep, and though Lulu had sealed it with her fire, it still looked agonizingly painful. It had an ugly bright red shade, the skin and fur on the jagged edges were charred and crusty. I slowly reached down, poking my finger at the creatures shoulder.

His eyes opened quickly, and he turned his head, growling softly at me. He pushed himself into a sitting position, then he stood, though his movements were pained and stiff. He took in the surroundings, and his eyes rested on Yuna for a moment, and he seemed to make a decision, one which he did not like."Wakka carry again, not Kimahri. We go."

Wakka understood, going over and lifting Yuna, grunting a little, probably sore from carrying her all day and half the night the day before. He then turned in a circle, a look of true fear coming into his eyes. "I-Lu…which direction were we going in?" Lulu frowned, slowly turning her head one way, then the other. She was silent for a moment, before finally sighing in defeat. "I don't know. Kimahri, do you?" There was a hint of desperation in her voice, and I was suddenly very confused. I hadn't even really thought about it until now, but I had no idea how we knew where we were going, I just figured that they knew what they were doing.

Now, I find out, they didn't even know were to go. I put two on two, and figured that it must have been only Yuna who knew how to get there. I searched with my tired eyes in all directions, but it all looked completely foreign to me. Kimahri took in several long, deep whiffs before speaking.

"Kimahri smell. Close." Relief flooded me, and I also heard Wakka and Lulu's comforted sighs. Lulu spoke up, a bit of hope in her voice. "This is good. We can get Yuna there, and-" She didn't get a chance to finish. That was the moment we were ambushed by several large, green lizards. They jumped from the bushes with no warning, with only one target: Yuna. I grabbed my sword, hacking at a particularly big one of the dull green fiends, as one was suddenly frozen by Lulu, another was hit by Wakka's blitzball, also being frozen, an explosion of ice hitting and immobilizing a lizard nearby. Kimahri threw himself on one, letting out a roar, half of desperation, and half of pain. More kept coming, as if we had stumbled into a nest the night before, and they had just woken up. When they saw that their target was protected, they began to turn on us, two leaping at me, and several swarming the guardians. I wildly slashed my sword, managing to knock away one, but the other landed on my chest, savagely biting my face, digging its nails into my stomach. I dropped my sword, clawing at it, managing to rip it off, and throw it to the side. Its teeth had torn some of my skin off; blood ran down the bridge of my nose, and some into my eyes, but I tried to keep my bearings. It was now going for Yuna, and I ran up to it, grasped my sword from the air, and stabbed it through. I swung around, ready for more, but saw that we had won…well, sort of. Wakka sat on the ground, his right arm mangled and almost unrecognizable as a human limb. Lulu was also injured, but not as badly. Kimahri's wound had partially reopened, and was also losing a small amount of blood. I pressed my hand on my face, now that the moments had slowed, I actually started to feel the pain. Wakka groaned, clutching his forearm, and standing up.

"We need ta go. The faster we get ta the temple, the better." He winced, and looked at Yuna.

"Ah…I don't think I can carry her…" He looked at his arm, obviously embarrassed, but I knew that it would be excessively painful, if not impossible, to carry her in that condition. When Lulu saw his eyes come to rest on me, she marched forward, and leaned down to pick up Yuna.

"Oh, NO!**I **will carry her!" She grunted and huffed, stumbling forward clumsily, before leaning back down again, putting Yuna down a few feet from where she'd started.

"Uh…I must be losing my edge." She breathed hard, and I could tell there was no way we'd get to the temple anytime soon with her carrying Yuna. My blood rushed to my face, causing more of it to run down my nose and cheeks. "Uh-I could um, carry her…" Lulu looked excessively annoyed, but nonetheless, she knew what was at stake here. She huffed a few more times, before frowning and marching forward. "Fine. Hurry."

I gently picked up Yuna, her frail body felt cold, dead. It scared me even more than just seeing her lying there, limp and green and…dead. I mentally yelled at myself that she was not dead, not yet. And it was up to me to keep it that way. Kimahri gestured in one direction. "Smells mile from here." I became angry with myself. It was only a mile away! Why couldn't I have just gone a little longer the night before?"

I felt stupid, hoping that my sleeping wouldn't end up costing Yuna her life. I got going pretty fast, and all of us were breathing hard after a couple minutes, but I knew if it was only a mile, we could keep it up. We walked on, and I grew progressively more tired as the moments passed, but with each one, I forced myself to walk a little faster.

After about fifteen minutes, I saw a horrible, and yet beautiful sight: in the distance was a very big staircase. I was exhausted just looking at it, but I stepped up the pace even more, knowing that we were almost there…hopefully.

"Is that it?" I asked, glancing at the ragtag group of bloody guardians. "Yes. That's the gateway ta tha temple, brudda. We're gonna make it." Wakka seemed too tired to even put enthusiasm into his voice, his words were weak and quiet.

I smiled, and glanced down at the girl in my arms. Seeing her there made my cheeks flush again, my blood running down my face and dripping onto her once-lovely garments. I raised my head, keeping my eyes on the destination, and trying to do the same with my mind. I wasn't used to carrying girls around, needless to say, it was an interesting situation.

Soon, we had reached the stone steps, which looked even bigger, when I was right at the bottom, looking up the many flights. I took a deep breath, and started up. One flight, going strong. Second flight, I was getting a bit tired. Third flight, my legs were starting to hurt. Fourth flight, my legs were definitely burning. Fifth flight, I was getting there. Sixth flight, I only had one more! Seventh flight. I was exhausted, my legs were shaky; I'd never carried someone up seven flights of stairs before…actually, I'd never carried anyone up any stairs before, actually. I looked down to the bottom, we were now high above most of the treetops. I could see much of the jungle from there, and the destruction from attack was even more evident looking down.

It was almost dizzying, but I blinked, and then hurried forward, my destination was only thirty feet away. I stumbled into the temple courtyard, and saw a few people milling about. The temple seemed to have been hit by Sin's wave, but was less damaged then the rest of the island, because it was so high up. Several people rushed over. Apparently, a filthy group of badly injured people staggering up the temple steps was unexpected.

"Oh! Are you okay?! What am I saying?! Of course you're not okay!" "Our summoner is poisoned. Are there any summoners here?" Lulu cut the flustered young woman off, looking around the temple courtyard. There were a few people here and there, but only about ten, altogether. Another woman spoke up, her eyes glued to Yuna.

"Y-yes, there's a summoner here, she arrived last night. She's and her guardian were resting, but she may be up by now, I can go check!" The woman ran off, entering one of the two smaller doors, flanking one large one, which looked like it was the main entrance to the temple.

"Is she…still alive?" A boy of about twelve spoke tactlessly, grimacing at the sight of Yuna's sickly body, even stepping forward, reaching out a finger to poke at her. Something flared up in me, and I scowled at him, pulling Yuna away.

"Yes, she's alive!" I hissed. Apparently, this was enough to scare him off, as he backed away, before scrambling away to a man, who was sitting in a corner, a mournful, vacant expression on his some reason, the other people who had taken interest in us also backed away, returning to whatever they had been doing before, mostly twiddling their fingers, waiting for who knows what. I was growing impatient. In my heart I was yelling for them to hurry up. Yuna only had a few minutes left, she was slipping away, I could feel it.

I marched resolutely towards the door which the girl had disappeared into a few moments before, but then she returned, being followed by a woman who appeared to be rather annoyed, with an incredibly muscular man in tow. "Well, what is it?" The woman's voice was hard just to listen to, she sounded ready to hit somebody, probably for waking her up. I was on edge, and wanted to snap something back, but I paused, trying to think of a kind way to ask for the help that we so obviously needed. I thought that it must be obvious what it was! I was only carrying a girl who was about to die!

Lulu beat me to it, her voice clipped, but not angry. "Our summoner is poisoned. Please heal her."

The woman scoffed, spinning on her heel, and sauntering back to where she came from.

"I don't think so. I don't take orders from guardians." That made me snap. There was no way she was gonna walk away and let Yuna die, just for her pride."Get back here!" I shouted, not sure what to say after that. She stiffened, slowly turning around, and stalking up to me. Regardless of the fact that I was at least eight inches taller than she was, there was something menacing about her, she actually reminded me of Lulu.

"What." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. "You dare push me around, boy?" I took a step back, remembering that Lulu could zap me, there was no telling what a summoner could do. I looked back at the others, hoping for someone to help, but was shocked to see both Kimahri and Wakka lying thirty feet away from me, passed out at the top of the steps.

Wakka had made it a few more feet than Kimahri, but they were both unmistakably unconscious. I couldn't do anything for them at the moment, and I was thankful when Lulu stepped forward to defend me, or rather, Yuna, almost before the summoner had even finished the last word in her sentence.

"You will heal her." She commanded, getting in the woman's face.

"If you don't, you can be sure that you will be ex communicated." The summoner seemed to ponder this for a moment, before sniffing at Lulu, turning back again to the room from which she'd come. Almost as if it was a great accomplishment, she declared,

"I can't."

TidusxYuna Always


	16. Calm Before the Storm

16 Calm Before the Storm

My heart felt like it dropped into my stomach. I could hardly breathe. Had we really come this far just for her to die? "What?" My voice squeaked, even I could hardly even hear what I said. "You must try!" Lulu seemed to be losing her constant calm as well. "I told you, I can't." The woman's words were low and annoyed, she sounded ready to blow.

I just hoped she wouldn't take it out on Yuna. "Fine!" The woman relented, turning back towards us, stomped up to me, and placed a hand on Yuna's forehead.

"Yevon, heal her! Please." Hope rose in my chest, along with dread. This was Yuna's last chance. When nothing happened, the woman jerked her hand back, and went back to the room she'd appeared from, her body builder guardian following. "I told you." She stated, as she disappeared into the doorway. I clenched my teeth, my eyes stinging, and I fought the tears, but they came anyway.

I just stood there, numb, feeling dizzy with hunger, my injuries aching, and with a dying girl in my arms. I didn't know what to do; I was lost. I shook myself out of my stupor, turning to Lulu, knowing that it was no use to try to hide my tears. She stood there, her face an empty mask, as though she had expected this, and prepared.

When she spoke, though, her voice betrayed her true feelings, sounding weak and desperate, though it was clear she tried to keep it strong. "Wakka. Our only chance is to take her to the fayth, perhaps-" She turned around, and her mouth dropped open when she caught sight of the other two guardians, passed out at the top of the stairs. "What?" She frowned, walking over to the two.

I ignored them all, looking down at the girl who might have been the savior of the world, if it hadn't been for that one, single bee. I couldn't help it. I shut my eyes, and screamed. "AAAAAAAAAAAHH!" I knew people were staring at me, but somehow, I didn't care what they thought of me. When I opened my eyes, there was a young girl standing in front of me, looking shy and nervous. She leaned on a makeshift crutch, really, it was just a branch with a small blanket wrapped around the top. She looked up at me, not saying anything, while I stared at her through blurry eyes. We stayed like that for a moment, before a woman ran from within the temple.

"Karina! Come back here!" The girl turned, still silent. The woman stopped short, seeing Yuna in my arms. She covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes shifting between Karina, and Yuna. "Karina, baby, come here, you can't, you might…" Karina went over to the woman who was now kneeling, arms outstretched, tears running down her weathered cheeks. The girl placed a tiny finger over the woman's lips, and in the softest, most innocent voice I could imagine, she said, "I must."

The woman shook her head, but didn't move to stop the girl. She slowly hobbled up to me, and just stared at me with huge green eyes. I wasn't sure what she wanted, so I just stared back. Her eyes fell to Yuna, lying in my arms, barely breathing. I began to realize what she wanted, and I knelt down, gently lowering the summoner onto the stone ground, letting her head rest in my palm.

"No, please don't!" The woman's faint, tear filled voice called out from behind the young girl, Karina, who placed a hand on Yuna's forehead. My heart was pounding like a bongo drum; my mind was telling me that the girl couldn't do it, but my heart was telling me that she could, that she had to.

Time seemed to slow, every second felt agonizingly long, but eventually, the girl gasped, started breathing hard, and then stood up quickly, pulling her hand away from Yuna, whose face was quickly draining from all its color, turning from the dead, green color, to pale, lifeless white.

"No! What did you do?!" I raised my face to look at the green eyed, red haired girl, who was clinging weakly to the woman. Then I heard a quiet sound, and looked down. Yuna's eyes flickered open, a healthy pink color slowly returning to her cheeks.

"Y-you're alive!" I shook my head, blinking, wondering if I was even awake anymore. It all seemed so surreal. One minute, she's practically dead, and now, she's awake, alive, and getting better by the second. I laughed out of relief, and leaned down, hugging her tightly for a moment, before realizing what I was doing, and pulling back quickly, chuckling with embarrassment. "Ahh…sorry…" I habitually scratched the back of my head. "It's…okay." She smiled, trying to sit up, but was still too weak. I helped her letting her lean on my arm.

"Yuna!" Lulu heard me, rushing over to hug Yuna. Yuna just sat there, and then when Lulu pulled back to survey her, she looked around slowly, concern coming into her features. "Kimahri, Wakka…are they…" She frowned, clearly, her mind was still foggy from the effects of the poison, her speech was slurred and labored. She couldn't see the two guardians, past my body, which was blocking her view of them.

"They're wounded, and passed out, but we're at a temple, they can be tended to." "Please, um, m'lady, may I help?" The woman who had gone to get the other summoner had returned again.

"We are injured. If there is no one to heal, we need food, rest, and bandages." Lulu seemed a bit confused. "Yes Ma'am." The woman spoke with two other young women dressed similarly to herself, and one of them entered the center temple doorway, the other went into the room to the left. The first woman returned to us.

"This way, please." I smiled awkwardly at Yuna, before carefully lifting her, and avoiding eye contact with her as I carried her into the room on the right. Lulu followed, and I noticed her glancing back at the other two guardians lying at the head to the stairs. As we entered the room, I saw that it was not fancy, but far more comfortable than the jungle outside.

It was a circular room, with a table in its center, and several doors branching off at intervals around the room. "Please," she said while gesturing towards the nearest doorway.

"Lady Yuna can use this room."

I nodded in thanks, carrying Yuna into the darkened room. The woman followed me, lighting a small lamp by the bed, and then backing out. I heard a muffled conversation between her and Lulu, who sounded more concerned than I had ever heard her, and I briefly heard Wakka's name. I carefully laid Yuna on her bed, taking a moment to take in the dramatic change the tiny girl's healing had done.

Though her face was tired, she looked healthy and strong, at least for someone who hadn't eaten in days… She smiled weakly up at me, her eyelids drooping.

"You gonna be okay?" I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer, but I was pretty sure if she made it through that, she can survive just about anything. "Hm, thanks." Her eyes slid shut, she was obviously too tired from fighting off the poison to stay awake a moment longer. I blew out the lamp and quietly left the room, suddenly realizing how starving and exhausted, and hurt I was, having been completely distracted by the fact that I was carrying around a girl who was just about to die.

When I got back to the circular room, Lulu and the young woman were already gone, and so I headed back into the courtyard, wondering what we were going to do with Wakka and Kimahri. As I was closing the door behind me, one of the other young women almost ran straight into me, letting out a shout of surprise, nearly dropping the contents of her arms all over the ground.

"O-oh, I'm sorry, Sir!" That almost brought a smile to my face, but not quite. If there was one thing I wasn't, it was a Sir.

"It's okay. Can I have some of that?" I said, referring to her armload of food, and the flasks of what I hoped was water, hanging from her shoulders. "Yes, I was just bringing it for you and your summoner and her other guardians to eat." It dawned on me that she thought I was a guardian.

"Thanks…" I grabbed a particularly large fruit and some piece of something that looked like it might be dried fish, and proceeded to stuff my face. Her eyes widened a bit, and I realized that I must look like a barbarian, but I really didn't care anymore, I just needed to put something in my stomach.

I somehow managed to reopen the door for her, despite my full hands, and she placed the food on the table, sliding the flasks off her arms. I grabbed one, washing down my mouthful, and before she left, I felt compelled to explain to her that I wasn't a guardian, somehow, I thought I probably shouldn't go around lying to these people. As she turned to leave, I spoke before I gave myself a chance to really think about it.

"Wait." She turned back, a look of curiosity on her face."I'm not a guardian." The curiosity changed quickly into confusion, and she frowned, her eyes shifting towards the doorway to Yuna's room. She pointed slightly to it, her jaw opening a bit, but no words came out for a moment.

"Ah…you're not? I mean…um…oh." She blinked, clearly perplexed, before turning abruptly around, and leaving without another word. I wondered what the big deal was, perhaps it was unusual for summoners to travel with people who weren't their guardians, or maybe it was something else, but whatever it was, I was too hungry to care.

I reached for more food, before remembering that Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri were all still outside. I felt stupid, and my mind was muddled from tired hunger, but I put down the food, once again leaving the room and entering the courtyard.

I gazed around, and didn't see the others anywhere, just some blood at the entrance, and some more dripped and smeared across the ground, leading into a small door which I didn't notice before, on the far left. I approached it, knocking, and then leaning my ear against the door, to make sure I could hear the people inside, to tell me to enter, or not.

I almost fell forward when the door opened, and I righted myself, scratching the back up my head embarrassedly as Lulu looked at me."Come in." She said, concern knitting her brow. As I stepped in, she returned to the side of a cot, kneeling next to Wakka, and reaching into a bucket of water, pulling out a rag and proceeding to clean his wounds. He was staring at the ceiling, and apparently had awoken. His arm had already been bandaged in a dull, off-white cloth, but he still had many minor wounds.

Kimahri lay on another cot, though most of his legs hung off it, and yet another young woman knelt beside him, cleaning his wounds. The woman looked up, her eyes going over me for a moment, pausing at the torn flesh on my face and the ragged tears in my uniform, revealing several shallow gashes in my stomach. She nodded her head to a doorway in the back of the room.

"In there, there is another nun. She can help you." She then returned to studiously cleansing Kimahri's injury. For some reason, it looked more serious when it didn't have leaves and dirt caked all over it. I cringed at the open wounds, but was surprised to find that after only a couple weeks in this place, I was already getting used to it…somewhat.

I peeked into the doorway, seeing a particularly young girl, no older than thirteen, dressed in similar, modest garb to all the women who had been helping us since we got here. "Ahh…" I wasn't exactly sure what to say, but when she heard me, she turned around. She immediately noticed my face, and beckoned me in. "Here, let me clean that for you." She reached for a bowl, filling it with some water from a barrel, grabbing a rag, and sitting down at a table.

As I walked in, she saw the rest of me, and noticed the injuries on my stomach. She didn't seem phased at all, as if she was completely and entirely used to this. Which, she was. I sat down in a chair adjacent to her, and she started wiping at the dried blood on my face. It hurt, and I grimaced, but didn't complain. I didn't want to look like a ninny.

The water was cool and refreshing, and it reminded me how terribly thirsty I was, but I waited until she was done. I looked around the room from the corners of my eyes while she worked, noting all the supplies that were stocked up here, dried food, barrels of unknown substances, and many cabinets, which were labeled in a language I couldn't read. She placed the rag back into the now very dirty water, her eyes lowering towards my stomach. I stood, stuttering,

"Uh, no, I think I can clean my own stomach." I said. She smiled an indifferent, empty smile at me, before getting another bowl and a fresh rag, and handing it to me. She left the room via another door, and I went back into the room Wakka, Kimahri, and Lulu were in. The young woman was in the process of wrapping up Kimahri's entire torso in a bandage, while Lulu had finished with Wakka, who was now sleeping, while Lulu was now cleaning a few minor injuries on herself.

"I'm going to my room. Uh…is it okay if I eat now?" I wasn't sure what the customs were, if guardians all had to wait for each other, or for their summoner, or what, but I had recently avoided eating the food I found until the rest of them were there to share it with me.

Lulu nodded tiredly, and then I returned to the first room. As soon as I saw the water flasks, I grabbed one, and emptied in in a short moment, enjoying it, even though it was rather warm. I got a little more food, not caring about my filthy hands, and then peeked in the doorway of the room next to Yuna's.

It seemed unoccupied, so I went in and cleaned my stomach wound. Since I was alone, I took the liberty of whining a little at the pain…just a little. When was just about finished, I thought I heard voices in the other room, so I went out to check.

Wakka and Lulu were eating ravenously, while Kimahri was nowhere to be found. I wanted to check on Yuna again, but found myself to tired to take more than a few more steps, so I went back into my room, collapsing on the thin mat on the floor, letting my dreams take me back to were I really wanted to be right now. Zanarkand.

TidusxYuna Always


	17. Speak Up

17 Speak Up

It dark, quiet, and warm. No, it was hot. Way too hot. I sat up, trying to make sense of the surroundings, my brain fuzzy, either from this horrid heat, or…a memory suddenly flashed in my mind, bringing a stab of pain in my back, visions of being attacked by the bees flooded my thoughts. I tried to piece together what had happened.

I remember a feeling of being carried, shouting, throbbing pain, and heat, always the same, damp warmth, that made each breath a struggle. My eyes were finally able to decode the blurry room, images which progressively grew sharper. The room was not lavishly decorated, but still comfortable. There was a bowl of various food items on the table beside my bed, along with a flask, which hopefully contained something to drink.

Seeing them made me realize how hungry I was. I grabbed for the flask, sniffing briefly at it before taking a sip, tasting the water, and taking several more gulps. I tried to stand, and it took several attempts to raise myself on my shaky legs, but once I did, I managed to take wobbly steps to the door.

Though I was literally starving, I knew I could wait a few minutes, I had to find my guardians. I had to know if they were okay. I cringed at myself, realizing that I was beginning to think of Tidus as a guardian, even when he wasn't. I had previously thought that I would ask him to become a guardian, but that was a rash decision. He didn't want to be my guardian. Why would he?

I frowned, somehow feeling a loss, because of his impending departure, in Luca, where he would most likely find a blitz team, and move on with life.

My hand hovered over the doorknob, as I tried to shake the thoughts from my mind. I closed my eyes for a second, working my facial muscles, which were weak and tired, trying to form a smile. When I had something I hoped would at least remotely resemble one, I opened the door, stepping out into another room. It was lit only by a single lamp, which gave off a dim light, just enough to see all the way around the circular room.

No one was there, and there was still the unbroken silence, leading me to believe that it was night. I felt dizzy, and leaned on the doorframe, wondering where to start. I figured I'd start with the doorway nearest to my own, hoping I wouldn't walk in on someone I didn't know. I used the wall as support, making my way to the room, and knocking quietly on the door. When there was no answer, I knocked again, a bit louder this time, beginning to wonder if I should just go back to bed, and wait until morning, if it was indeed night.

Though, if one of them was injured, dying, I would need to heal them right away. I felt even more dizzy at that prospect, but ended up pushing open the door. The room was much less comfortable looking than my own, having no furnishings except a mat on the floor, which was occupied by none other than a sleeping Tidus. He seemed fine, though cuts and scrapes marked his arms and legs, and a large, torn wound ran all the way across his face. Seeing he wasn't in dire condition, I stepped out of the room, checking each consecutive one. Lulu was in the next one, also having only a few, very minor wounds, and was also sleeping. When I entered the room to the right of hers, I saw Wakka, with a bandage wrapped around his arm, and a few small ones in various other places, but he too, seemed to be fine. At the next room, I had expected to see Kimahri, but when I knocked, I was startled to hear a low gruff voice say, "What is it?" Though Kimahri's voice is gruff, I was sure it wasn't him. "I'm sorry, never mind."

He didn't answer, so I went to next rooms. They were all empty, Kimahri was not here. I struggled back to Lulu's room, pushing open the door.

"Lulu. Lulu, wake up." She rolled over, mumbling something unintelligible, blinking her eyes. "Hmmm? Yuna? What are you doing up?" She quickly gained her bearings, sitting up and giving me her best _"I'm your mother and I'm scolding you." _look.

"Go back to bed, you need rest." She laid down again, but I wasn't ready to leave just yet. "But Lulu, where's Kimahri? Is he okay?" She answered quickly, relieving me.

"He's fine. He lost a lot of blood, but he's in the other side of the temple, recuperating. Don't go to see him until morning. Now, go back to bed!" I nodded, feeling greatly relieved that all of us had made it through the jungle, and now I was ready to get some real rest.

When I woke up later, I felt much better, and I rose, eating the food left for me, and finishing the last of the water. I attempted to fix my hair, but found that I was entirely too filthy. When I left the room, there was a young nun waiting in the central room.

"Ah, lady summoner. Your guardians are all still sleeping…and um, your companion, too…" she looked a bit confused, clearly because it was very unusual for a summoner to travel with anyone except guardians. In fact, as I thought back on the thousand years of history I had practically memorized in my time as a summoner's apprentice, no summoner had ever traveled with someone who was not their guardian.

But, there seemed to be more. She seemed more confused than just that, and there was a pause between us, probably her hoping that I would explain. I decided against it, feeling that since I was the summoner, I had every right to keep my reasons to myself. When I thought about it, he really didn't have to come at all, he was just…there.

No one asked him to come, he just did…I wondered why, beginning to wonder if he maybe would be willing to become a guardian. After all, he didn't seem to have much left, and it was HE who had chosen to come along. I realized that I had just stood there thinking while the nun waited for a reply.

"Oh, yes, they had a lot of traveling to do, all carrying me…I was poisoned." I was hoping she'd introduce me to the summoner who'd healed me, if they'd not already left, but something else distracted me. The memory grew clearer, and I remembered being carried through the courtyard by Tidus. I was sure that Lulu didn't like that. I felt my cheeks warm at this, wondering why my own guardians had not carried me. I thought maybe my memory was off.

"Um, did-did you see who brought me up the stairs?" She looked even more curious, answering slowly at first, then speeding up. "Yes…it was your companion…both your male guardians passed out as soon as they reached the top. One's wrist was cut, and the other was badly injured in his stomach. Your mage looked too weak to carry you."

I knew what she was implying, that the only one who was not my guardian, was the reason why I was here today, instead of back in the jungle, dead from the poison. He had saved my life, again. I wanted him to be my guardian. The only question was, was he willing. There was another silence between us, and in that, the nun seemed to remember her place, that a summoner was allowed to do anything they wish, as long as they finish their pilgrimage.

"M, m'lady, would you like food, or to bathe?" I gave her a half smile. "Oh, thank you, I've already eaten, so I'll bathe." "This way." She gestured to the courtyard, and we left, all the way across the temple yard, to another door, and a room identical in build, to the one we left. I saw from the sun's position that it was late afternoon. We entered the room, and she led me to another, which had a basin and a cauldron of water, in a small, lit fireplace. She expertly filled the basin with just the right temperature, then leaving me to myself.

I hadn't had a proper bath in weeks, and I now felt much better, though I couldn't say the same for my clothes. Though they were now clean, they were tattered, torn, and stained. Still I put them back on, once they were dry, and returned to the other side of the temple. The sun was now setting, the heat of the day still lingering, making me sweat, even as I just walked across the courtyard. When I entered the room, I was surprised to see Tidus sitting at the table, gorging himself.

He looked a bit startled when I walked in, his cheeks puffed out, his mouth absolutely stuffed with food. I smiled, and he struggled to swallow, taking several moments to do so, then smiling.

"Hi. Glad to see you're better. I was scared…" He blinked, loudly cleared his throat, and looked around, as if to see that Lulu wasn't standing there, ready to beat him to a pulp. I sat down at the other side of the table, choosing a dark red fruit. "Yeah…I'm better. A nun told me it was because of you…" His cheeks became visibly red, and he lowered his eyes to the table.

"Uh, yeah, your guardians were all to weak or injured to carry you…" I wasn't exactly sure what it was that embarrassed him, but I was pretty sure it had to do with carrying me. I shifted in my seat, taking a small bite of the fruit, trying to figure out how to phrase my question. There was an awkward silence, but I knew that I should ask soon.

I opened my mouth, ready to speak, but for the first time that day, I actually took a good look at the young man sitting across from me. He looked tired, no, exhausted, he had a chunk of skin torn out of his face, bandages around his stomach, mussed hair, and his whole being caked in dirt. I thought there was no way in Spira that he would want to be my guardian.

So, instead of asking him for help, I stood, offering my help to him. "You're hurt. Let me heal you." He frowned, shaking his head.

"No, no. I can handle it. You need your strength." "No, really. I'm strong enough now. I'll be okay." I kept walking towards him, determined to win this one. "No, I'm fine!" He had a slight smile now, as if he thought it was funny that I didn't want him to be hurt. "Please! Just let me help you." He rolled his eyes, but then got serious, holding up a hand to signify me to stop.

"Yuna. There was a summoner. She couldn't heal you, when you were poisoned." I was confused at this, wondering how I was now healed then. "She couldn't? Then who healed me?" "A little girl. She…I think…I think she passed out…or worse. After she healed you…" A little girl had healed me. No one who was not a summoner, or a summoner's apprentice, had ever healed anyone in all of Spira's history.

"She passed out? How young was she?" "She looked about six…she was already leaning on a crutch when she healed you…" If she was six, there was no way she would be an apprentice at that age. I realized there was nothing I could do about it, though Tidus didn't know that.

"I can't help her. Weakness brought on by healing cannot be healed. The healer either has to recuperate…or…not…" I folded my hands, bowing my head, and leaned on the table, hoping that my journey wouldn't cause anymore deaths. I just wanted to do this without hurting anyone…except myself. I would do anything for Spira. But I wasn't prepared to harm anyone else for it. My guardians were willing to give their lives, if need be, but that was their choice. Tidus just sat there, staring at the dried fish in his hand.

"Yuna! You're okay, ya?" I raised my head, seeing an injured, but very happy Wakka. Just seeing him grin brought a smile to my face. "Wakka. Yes, I'm okay." He enveloped me in a one armed bear hug, his other arm hanging limply. "Hm? Reunion?" Lulu stepped gracefully out of her room, and joined the hug, smoothing my hair, a habit she had formed years ago.

I pulled out of the hug, knowing we had to get back to business as soon as possible. I wanted to get the Kilika trials over with, too. "I can heal all of you, then rest tonight, and then tomorrow morning, we can leave for the trials." I hadn't seen the nun step into the room, in time to witness our hug, and hear my words.

"M'lady, if I may, you should rest longer than that. Lady Dona, the other summoner here, said she began her pilgrimage a week before your guardians say you did, and yet she arrived only the day before yesterday, and has rested two days. It seems you and your guardians are going very quickly. You almost died. Your guardians are worn and injured." The nun was bolder than most, but I admired that. I considered her words before answering.

"What you say is true, we are in a hurry, but we have good reason to be." I turned to Lulu and Wakka.

"What do you say?" "Whateva' you think is best Yuna." "Yes, Yuna. We are your guardians." I smiled, feeling encouraged by their loyalty. "We will go on tomorrow. The faster, the better." I turned to the nun.

"Please, take me to Kimahri." She nodded, opening the door. I went after her, my two guardians following me, though Tidus didn't. When we got to the room Kimahri was in, I hurried to his side. His breathing was slightly uneven and labored, but he seemed like he was holding on.

"Kimahri. I'm going to heal you." He said nothing, just looked at me through foggy eyes. I placed a hand over the wide bandage wrapped around his entire torso, and focused my mind, praying. It worked quickly, sending shooting pain through my side for a few seconds. When I finished, Kimahri's eyes were cleared of their fogginess, and he sat up, patting his side.

"Kimahri thanks you." My vision tripled, and I smiled, trying to see which of the three of him I saw was the real one. Apparently, I hadn't fully regained my strength, but I tried not to let my guardians see it. "Your turn, Wakka." I had decided to leave the minor wounds to heal by themselves, and just focus on the ones that would hinder our ability to fight in the trials. Wakka extended his arm to me, and I had to guess which of the three arms was the real one. I guessed correctly, and no one noticed, so I prayed, feeling pain all the way across my arm, but it faded quickly. "Lulu, do you need any healing?"

"No. You look tired, you should get something to eat, and then rest. Come."

We all went back to the room were Tidus waited, stuffing his face, and I was feeling wobbly by then, and had to lean on Kimahri's arm. We all sat to eat, guzzling water and gobbling the dried fish and fruit until it was gone. No one spoke, because all our mouths were too full with food to say a word. When we finished, however, I folded my hands in my lap, trying not to keel over from feeling so full.

"Everyone, tomorrow, we will go into the Trials." There was a nervous air between the guardians and myself, we all knew the stakes of going in there. Tidus looked around at the concerned faces. "What's so bad about the Trials?" I took a shaky breath, as Lulu gave him an icy glare. "The Kilika Trials are the most dangerous of them all. As you may have guessed, its element is fire, as Besaid's was water."

I looked directly at him. "Fire is the only element that consumes soul, as well as body. When a pyrefly lights on fire…it never goes out." A thick silence filled the room, as he took in the information. "When someone burns to death, their pyreflies burn forever, and cannot be sent." He shook his head slightly, as if trying to clear away fog. I saw his hand go to his arm, pinching it, but he only frowned when nothing happened. I saw that he didn't intend to say anything, so I continued.

"We will rest tonight, but early in the morning, we will leave." All my guardians nodded, and then I realized that I had not addressed Tidus. "Tidus, you will stay here, since you are not a guardian." He appeared relieved for a second, and then frowned. "Wait." He looked around at my guardians, something like anger showing in his expression. "What if you can't get her through it?" No one said anything. Lulu stood abruptly, stating, "This conversation is over. We will not fail again." Wakka and Kimahri both nodded gravely, and rose from their own seats, filing out of the room, presumably to clean themselves up. Tidus and I stayed seated, waiting for them to be gone. As the door clicked shut, the words were begging to be released. I thought that maybe he would be willing to be my guardian. But I felt as though I had no right to ask him, no right to put him through so much danger. Three to one chances, we won't all make it out.

I shivered, feeling ill, but instead of speaking, I stood, going towards my room. I fumbled for words, but the only thing that came out was, "Goodnight." He nodded seriously at me. "Night."

TidusxYuna Always


	18. Trial by Fire

18 Trial by Fire

I blinked open my eyes, and the moment I realized I was awake, I jumped out of bed, combing my fingers through my hair as I stepped quickly out of the room to the central one, where there was already a mini feast waiting for us on the table.

I tried to move as quickly as possible, blocking out of my mind what were about to do. I have to admit, I was scared. I was really scared. I didn't want to lose my friends, I just had to hope and pray that we would all survive the Trials. Only moments after I began to eat, Kimahri came out, soon followed by Lulu, then Wakka, and finally Tidus.

Surprisingly, he was the most nervous looking, and he was shaking slightly as he sat down. We all only gave curt nods to each other, eating quickly, but not with the same desperate starvation of the night before. I don't think any of us had appetites anyway, but we needed our energy. Tidus reached across the table, knocking over a glass of water, spilling it all over himself.

He took a deep breath, righting the cup, and getting the fish he had been reaching for. When we were finished, I was standing up when Tidus spoke for the first time of any of us this morning. "Wait. Can't you just think about this? I mean, you might…" His pained expression said what we were all scared of. Burning to death. Burning forever.

A chill ran down my spine as the fear of it gripped me all over again.

"I must." I said, looking straight into his eyes, begging him to understand. He moved his eyes to each of my guardians in turn, but they stood, following me to the room's exit. I gave him one last glance as we closed the door.

The sun was barely up, its light just beginning to flood the area. I paused for a few seconds outside the main temple's large, stone door, breathing quietly, before pushing them open, and stepping all went to kneel by the statues of the high summoners past, praying to Yevon for safe passage and protection. I prayed for several minutes, and when I rose, I saw Tidus standing in the shadows near the door.

I gave him a smile, trying to be confident. Just then, there was a loud sound, and we all looked toward the entrance to the Trials. A woman stepped out, her feet dragging slightly, she was in absolutely terrible shape. Several areas of her body where completely blackened, she had cuts and bruises all over her body. She was followed by a man so completely covered in muscles that it was disturbing.

He wasn't doing any better than she was. They seemed in somewhat of a hurry, and the door closed as soon as they had exited. Seeing that she had an audience, she stood up straighter, placing a hand on her hip, taking us in with a smug expression. I could only guess that this was the other summoner who was unable to heal me.

"A summoner, are you?" She asked scornfully, as if I was just a wanna-be child. I was taken aback by her air of unkindness, but I replied calmly. "My name is Yuna. From the isle of Besaid." She swaggered down the steps, though I noticed her falter several times. "So, you're High Summoner Braska's daughter." She circled me like a wolf sizing up its prey.

"That's quite a name to live up to." She smirked as she looked around at my four friends standing near me. "And all these…people are your guardians? My, what a rabble! I have only need of one guardian." She glanced flirtatiously at her body-builder guardian. "Right, Barthello?" He nodded, letting out a grunt. Kimahri stepped forward, getting in Barthello's face, but I gave him a little motion with my hand, asking him to stay calm. I didn't know why this woman wanted to attack me, but I wasn't going to let it get to me.

"I only have as many guardians as there are people I can trust. I trust them all with my life! To have so many guardians is a joy, and an honor." I paused, realizing that I had just annoyed her, somehow.

"Of course, I would never think of questioning your ways, either…So, Lady Dona, I ask of you, please leave us in peace." She rolled her eyes and motioned at Barthello.

"YOU do what YOU want. Barthello, we're leaving!" She sauntered out, leaving us in the quiet of the temple, with only the sound of the fayth's song. I glanced at each of my trusted, beloved guardians, and finally, my eyes rested on Tidus. He had just finished scrunching up his nose at Dona, and then crossing his arms and scowling.

His eyes darted back and forth around the temple, repeatedly at the entrance to the cloister, and I think his anger was just a cover up for some other emotion-probably fear. Not that I blamed him, I am pretty sure that all of us were scared. Still, summoners have to face their fear, or there is no way they can do what they have to do.

"Well, are we ready?" I looked to my guardians, all of them nodding. I led them up the stairs, and Tidus followed us. At the doorway, I turned back to him.

"Um…we'll be back as soon as we can…okay?" His frown deepened, and he tilted his head slightly down in a feeble nod. I smiled at him, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open. We entered, and walked straight forward to the elevator which would lead us into a pit of fire, danger, and death.

"The fayth is below. Let's do it!" Wakka attempted to be upbeat, and encouraging, but I could hear that his words were forced. Lulu, calm as always, spoke with an even tone. "But, first, the Cloister of Trials. Kimahri, Wakka, ready?" They both nodded. I bowed, saying,

"Strength, everyone." We all took deep breaths as the lift lowered us into the cloister. As soon as we entered it, even while we were still in the air, we had to duck the dozens of flaming pyreflies that swarmed us. My hair caught on fire, but I managed to squelch it before it did any damage. As the lift landed, we all hurried off it, being attacked by a flaming wolf fiend. Lulu vanquished it quickly with a stream of ice, and its burning pyreflies floated away, only to form again later, when another summoner comes. Constantly dodging the burning pyreflies which flew around us like circling sharks, we each split off to a separate wall. "Feel along the walls, search for a glyph!" Lulu commanded, rubbing one hand up and down the wall, and shooting ice with the other.

"Found one!" Wakka shouted, and we all rushed over to him. The flashing symbol showed up with touch, but took a summoner's prayer to open. I pressed my palm hard against the stone wall, praying with as much concentration as I could muster as I felt the pyreflies flying past me.

There was a grinding sound as the wall opened, a wave of heat coming up from within as it rose. Smoke filled the room as it opened, leading us to the real danger. We cautiously entered the room, crouched over, alert and ready to dodge any oncoming attacks. The heat was oppressive, sweat beaded up on my face, trickling down, and I could feel moisture being sapped from my body.

There was a roaring sound, a huge fire which burned almost constantly in the center of the trial, only extinguishing briefly for summoners to pass. I coughed, trying not to breathe too deeply as the smoke filled my lungs. Kimahri bellowed as a group of fire wolves came upon us. Lulu and Wakka did their thing, vanquishing several, while Kimahri fought another, and I kept on dodging the pyreflies and put in my own piece by killing one of the wolves with my own ice. All the time, we were jogging, knowing the faster we get through the trial, the more likely we are to survive.

"Find a fire sphere!" I said, spying a recess in the wall, which needed to be filled. My eyes were watering from the ash and smoke, and when I spun around, I thought I was imagining things when I saw Tidus.

"Tidus?!" I exclaimed, almost not expecting an answer. He dove forward, knocking me over as a wolf landed where I'd been, half a second before. Lulu shot it with ice, and we both jumped up, moving quickly through the stone maze. He coughed, before answering.

"Had to come." he coughed again. "Couldn't just stand there." He sliced at a fire lion, adding to Kimahri's attacks, and then it finally dispersed when Wakka's ball hit it in a splash of melting ice. Through the smoke, I saw a bright red, small, round object.

"I found it!" I shouted, running towards it, and snatching it up. I had to juggle it between my hands, the stinging pain almost too much, but I sprinted to the wall's recess, my skirt catching on fire. I slammed the sphere into the wall, dropping to the floor, and rolling, to extinguish the flames. There was a shriek, and I turned to see Lulu's shoulder and the side of her face burning.

"Waaaakkkaaaa!" She screamed. He ran to her, swatting at the flames, as Tidus cut off one of her braids, which had caught fire. When it was out, even through the smoke, I could see an angry red, blistering wound forming. She grimaced, pointing forward.

"Go!" We rushed through the new doorway, even more heat meeting us inside, the smoke thicker than ever before. I tripped, falling hard on the hot stones below. Kimahri helped me up, and we kept moving. Wakka shouted,

"Over here!" He pushed a pedestal to an alcove in the wall, yet another door opening. Through the black smoke was an intense bright red glow, the roaring of the hungry flames now very loud. We hurried into the room.

"Find a purple sphere!" I shouted, thinking it would be an almost impossible task in all this smoke. We searched, until I could barely breathe at all. "Sphere!" Kimahri shouted with a raspy breath, holding up the purple orb. "Over here!" Lulu called. Just then, a group of wolves came upon Kimahri, and he shouted, "Catch!" throwing the sphere to me as the rest ran over to help him fend the animals off. While they fought, I ran to the small hole in the wall, shoving the sphere in. There was a blinding flash, the sound of an explosion, and I was thrown backwards, towards the wall of flames at the center of the room.

Debris showered around me, I screamed, taking in a large breath of smoke as a rock fell on my leg, and I heard a sickening crack. I almost didn't feel the pain, all my senses dulled from the smoke. Sweat ran into my eyes, a thick layer of ash coated the inside of my mouth, I saw the world floating in a glowing, blackness. I pushed the rock off my leg, hobbling to the wall, groping along to find the gaping hole I'd created, vaguely knowing that my guardians were all still fighting against the pack of wolves. In the corner of my eye, I could see Tidus running from a huge fire wolf, towards me, being flanked by two others.

I shot one of the two at his sides and successfully sent it up in pyreflies, but then I focused on my destination, there was just one more sphere I had to get. Then I would be able to put out the flames, and we could escape the wolves, but I never got to it. There was a deafening crash, and large pieces of debris and flames fell from the roof, pinning me to the ground.

I heard the cries of my guardians, shouting my name. "YU-" Lulu's cry was cut off, changing to an agonized scream. I didn't hear Wakka at all, and I only heard sounds from Kimahri that indicated he was still fighting with something. My skin felt like it was melting against the scalding floor, the wood beam which had fallen across my stomach was crushing me.

I couldn't see, I couldn't breathe, I could barely think. I was about ready to give up, but I forced myself to try. My muscles strained against the beam as it caught fire. I rapidly lost hope as it refused to budge, but then two gloved hands appeared out of the smoke, pushing up against it. I felt the pressure lifting off of me, and I looked to the side, seeing Tidus gritting his teeth, caked in blood and ash and sweat through a dark haze, lying on his stomach, his wounded belly flat on the ground. I squirmed out from underneath the beam, looking towards what had been my destination.

"It's blocked!" I shouted, seeing a pile of rock covering the entrance to the hole which contained the key to our survival. His expression was panicked, and then he had an idea, crawling away, motioning for me to follow. My head was swimming, my body felt like I had been cooked, but I followed through the mess.

With every movement, the heat became more unbearable, until we were right next to the roaring flames, which had already consumed much of the fallen debris. He stood, looking down at me, our eyes locking for a second, before he threw himself into the flames. I screamed, covering my mouth in horror, before hearing him call through the wall. "Come on!" I looked back towards were my guardians were, to see a flood of wolves coming towards me. I squeezed my eyes shut, screaming as I dove through the flames, the heat consuming me for an instant, before I crashed to the ground on the other side, tearing my tender flesh on the rough ground.

Tidus helped me up, and I looked around panicked, wondering if the wolves could get through, and if the others were even still alive. I looked around, seeing a staircase which led up to a door, and I ran towards it, but my leg gave way beneath me. I started crawling, but Tidus swept me up, hugging my to his chest, stumbling blindly up the steps, and falling at the door.

I pushed myself up on my knees, sliding my hands across the door, until they found a glyph. It lit up, extinguishing the wall of flames as the door slid open. The relief from some of the heat brought instant new life to my weak body, as I scanned over the room through the fire fiends, in search of my guardians.

Kimahri and Wakka stood on either side of Lulu, who was laying on the ground, the lower part of her legs completely destroyed from flames, and most of her face and neck also charred.

She seemed alive, but I wasn't sure. Wakka and Kimahri both had serious wounds, but nothing like Lulu's."Lulu!" I screamed, trying to stand, but I couldn't. I kept fighting, and I had alerted the wolves of our presence, and they were quickly coming towards Tidus and me. I shouted again, trying to crawl down the stairs, my whole rational mind gone. Tidus pushed me back, rushing into the fray.

"No! Wait here!" He hacked side to side with his sword, quickly arriving through the clearing smoke to the guardians, just as Wakka was knocked over by two fiends. He pushed Wakka up, supporting him with one arm underneath the larger Blitzer's shoulder, while Wakka lifted Lulu's burned body, and Kimahri fought off the fiends as best he could, as the made their way to me. I struggled to concentrate, shooting more ice at the fire wolves, which were quickly closing in on me, but I only defeated a couple.

As my four friends stumbled up the steps, we all moved as quickly as possible into the doorway, and it began to lower as soon as I had passed through, successfully closing out the fiends, smoke, and for some reason, the pyreflies didn't enter the room either.

I crawled over to Lulu and tried to heal her, but nothing happened. I was panicking, but I shakily looked around, seeing the entrance to the chamber of the fayth. I crawled over, placing my palm against it. As soon as I touched it, it began to lift, like a cloud rising from over me, I felt hope again, as the fayth's song became louder, more beautiful. As fast as I could, I threw myself at the feet of the statue as the door closed behind me, and soon, a ghost-like fayth appeared above his statue. "Please, my friend, she's dying!"

No doubt, he was used to summoners begging his healing, and he bowed his head, relieve flooding every nerve in my body. Oxygen flooded my lungs, the pain in my leg and all over me faded to nothing.

"Your friends have been healed." He said in a voice that sounded like crackling flames mixed in with a rich song. I took in several deep breaths, letting calmness settle over me.

"Ifrit. Aeon of Fire. Will you help me?" He bowed his head, smiling slightly, though there was no joy in that smile. "Yuna. Daughter of High Summoner Braska. Summoner from Besaid. You are special. There is much power in your heart. Yunalesca, she became high summoner to honor her family. Gandof became high summoner because he had nothing left. Ohalland became high summoner because he had everything.

Yocun became high summoner because she wanted honor. Braska became high summoner because he loved the only thing he had left. You." He paused, giving me a second to drink in the information. I had never realized the summoners had motives other than the safety of Spira, other than my father.

And what family did Lady Yunalesca want to honor? I was unaware of who her family was, it was never mentioned in the teachings of Yevon. I frowned, looking up at the fayth for understanding.

"You, Yuna, became a summoner because you love Spira. You love people, you love children, you love peace. May you bring it. I will help you, but first, you must learn something."

A fire flared up in the back of the large circular room, revealing a young man's body which had been crushed, but was mostly unburned, indicating that he had not burned to death. I stepped toward him, confused.

"You can send people on water. Now, you must learn to send on fire. You will be immune to burning, as long as you are sending, and maintaining concentration. I have been able to keep this guardian from becoming a fiend for eight months, since he died here, and his summoner brought him to me, but he was too far gone to heal.

You must now send him. Put his body in the fire, and dance. But you must move quickly, or he will burn." I took a shaky breath, everything I was about to do went against what my instincts told me to, but I obeyed. I pushed the man into the scalding flames, stepping onto them, my staff forming in my hand.

At first, it hurt, but I forced the thoughts of fear and pain from my mind, focusing instead on the fact that if I didn't go quickly, the man would burn forever. I performed the sending quickly, but as smoothly as I could. When I finished, the flames extinguished, and the man's body formed pyreflies, floating away, through the ceiling, towards the farplane. I wiped sweat and grime from my brow, sinking to my knees, breathing slowly. After a moment, I returned to the fayth, who bowed to me.

"Well done. You are indeed special. Bahamut was right." On my knees, I bowed to him, and his fayth form flew to my heart, forming a spirit bond, so I could call him when I am in need. I then rose, shakily leaving the chamber. I could already tell, I was not as weak as I had been the first time I received an aeon.

As the door opened, revealing my friends, tired, worn, clothes half destroyed, but alive and well. It was all a blur as they congratulated me, and we rushed backwards through the trials, things reverting to their original state each time I passed through a door. As we rose on the elevator, a heavy concentration of hundreds of fire pyreflies threatened to drown us.

I could feel my skin burning from their close proximity, but we soon rose out of the pit of death, escaping through the tunnel, and entering the main temple. As we stood on the steps of the empty room, breathing hard, amazed that we were all still alive, I knew that I wasn't going to wait a minute longer.

Tidus had saved my life too many times to be overlooked. As my guardians watched, I walked too him, standing directly in front of him. He looked straight into my eyes as I spoke.

"Tidus, I have something to ask you."

TidusxYuna Always


	19. Be Mine

19 Be Mine

"I want you…with me-with us, I mean…" Tidus just stood there looking confused, and I realized that I was not making much sense. It was so much harder to ask, than to think about asking. "I want to ask you…to be my guardian." I mentally cringed at my lack of grace, and he just stood there for a moment, as if trying to understand the question.

"Yuna! What? This is no time for jokes, ya?" Wakka spluttered, as if it was the most preposterous thing he'd ever heard. "He may be a blitzball whiz kid, but up against fiends, he's a newbie." I could hardly believe what Wakka was saying. He must have been in denial. Tidus was no newbie.

"He's proven himself, in my opinion. We wouldn't have gotten out of there alive if it weren't for him." I softly stated what I thought was obvious, and Lulu stepped forward to defend Wakka. "That was merely because he was running away from the fiends." I was speechless. I knew there were other instances that he had saved us, or at least me, but my mind was still foggy and tired from receiving the aeon.

"I…well…not a guardian then…I just want him nearby." I wanted to smack myself as soon as I said it, but there was no turning back now. "What?!" Lulu drew back in astonishment, and Wakka covered his mouth with his arm, exclaiming, "Wha!" Tidus made a sequence of confused and surprised sounds, finally stammering,

"What do you mean?" I tried to recover some dignity, but failed miserably.

"It's just that…well…I-I'm sorry… I shouldn't have…" I faded off in the middle of the sentence, feeling like an idiot. Tidus still looked completely taken off guard, mumbling, "There's nothing to be sorry about…I'm just not really sure what's going on…" "My apologies." I bowed, and then fled.

I forced myself to walk calmly, with poise, but in my mind, I was running. I didn't understand why Tidus', Jecht's, Zanarkand was so important to me. When I entered the courtyard, people noticed my filthy, tired state, and a nun asked if she could help. I just said,

"I-I'm fine." I went around to the back of the temple, sitting in a shady area beneath a tree growing out of the cobblestones. I tried to think rationally, but all I wanted was to know more about _that _Zanarkand. The Zanarkand where people have fun, were the biggest worry is which team will win the next blitzball match, where people don't lie awake at night, for fear that they won't be alive to see the next dawn.

I want to hear about the Zanarkand filled with joy, not the one which will be my everlasting grave. I started breathing hard, gasping for breath, feeling like I was still trapped back in the trials, smoke clouding my thoughts. Then, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Lulu standing there, her eyes gentle and sympathetic.

She didn't say anything, just waited for me. I finally opened my mouth, struggling to spill out the grief that was welling up inside me without crying. I didn't want to cry. Crying was like giving up, admitting that I was weak. Maybe too weak to finish my final task.

"I just…I want to…hear about the happy Zanarkand…" I broke eye contact, feeling truly stupid. As soon as it came out of my mouth, it sounded so meaningless, so childish…and yet, it was childish…it had been my childhood dream, ever since I first met Jecht. I had never heard of a place were people were happy, except briefly during each calm, and yet every calm had always been overshadowed by the terror that was brought by Sin's reappearance.

"Yuna, just…be careful." That was it. That was all she had to say. She left me to myself then, and I just sat, repeating the words in my mind for a few minutes before returning to the temple. A nun helped me to clean up, telling me that my guardians were also being helped.

That brought a surge of grief, reminding me again that only three of the four were actually my guardians. I felt like she had slapped me, but I just smiled and thanked her. Once I had taken a long, relaxing bath, the nun brought me some new clothes.

I had no choice except to abandon my Summoner's clothes, which had been utterly destroyed, and I was actually somewhat pleased with this, having decided that they where the most uncomfortable and impractical things in all of Spira.

I had instead gotten a light yellow pull over sleeveless shirt, and a red, ankle length skirt. I still wore my boots, but other than those and my necklace, which my father had given me, I discarded all the other parts of my Summoner's outfit, which was far beyond repair. The new outfit was far more comfortable than my Summoner's one, though it wasn't going with the tradition of the unspoken Summoner's dress code.

I no longer cared as much about following petty rules, if it would make it harder for me to reach the destination, and complete the goal. By late evening, we all met in the circular room for a large meal. We had all been given new clothes, except Tidus, whose clothes had once again mysteriously regenerated. Lulu wore a less heavy version of the temple nuns' kimonos, Wakka wore shorts and a blue vest, and Kimahri also wore shorts, altered to fit his large frame.

We all ate quietly, an uncomfortable silence permeated the air, from my words earlier. When we were finishing up the dregs of the meal, Tidus dropped his fork on his plate with a loud clank, drawing all of our attention, which had been previously deeply engrossed in our food, for lack of a better outlet. His eyes went from one guardian to the next, and then moved to me. We all waited, and finally he blurted out, "I'll be your guardian." I smiled, fiddling with my fingers underneath the table.

"You will? I mean…thank you!" I gave him a small bow, swallowing as I noticed the thick silence between my other guardians, whose eyes were all glued to Tidus. I then began to scrape the remains of my plate, the slight clinking of the metal against pottery sounded ten times louder than it really was, in the uncomfortable atmosphere. Tidus decided that this was a good idea, and he finished his food quickly, standing up and going to his room, but Wakka stopped him.

"Brudda," Wakka guided him into the far side of the room, speaking briefly, and causing him to blush, and then go to his room. I wondered what Wakka'd said, but he didn't offer anything, so I just left for the main temple sanctuary, leaving the three guardians to themselves. As I entered the cavernous room, the song of the fayth grew a bit louder, and I let it sink into my heart, trying to feel its peace.

I approached the huge statue of my father, in all his proud, stone glory. I sat against his robe, feeling the cold, dead rock breathe reality into me. This is how I plan to end up. Dead, gone forever, without even leaving a soul behind. Just completely gone from existence. Seen forever as a cold, stoic hero. A role model for future generations, never remembered for who I truly am, but never forgotten.

"I miss you, father…so much." I whispered into the empty air, to lifeless, stone ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, hugging my knees, letting my mind float back to the time spent with him. I was never really able to recall much, but a few brief memories were all it took to make me miss him.

Lost in thought, I don't know how long I spent in there, but eventually I looked up, hearing the creaking of the large door opening, and my newest guardian leaning in. When he saw me, he stepped in, a bit tentatively. I didn't say anything as he walked over, sitting a few feet away from me. We sat a couple minutes before he spoke, his voice quiet and shaky.

"You okay?" I smiled at this. It wasn't what I'd expected, though I wasn't sure exactly what that had been. I thought for a minute before answering, asking myself the question. Was I really okay, or did I just pretend to be.

"Yes, I'm fine…It's just sometimes…I get…scared…" I felt weak admitting it, but I knew he would understand. My other guardians seemed to think that I had to be fearless if I was going to succeed, but I knew I wasn't fearless, though I tried to be. He smirked as if he thought this was ironic, chuckling a bit, though it was an unhappy expression.

"Yeah…I know what you mean." His eyes flitted towards the door to the trials, and he gave a slight shudder. We were silent for a few more minutes, before my curiosity got the better of me. "So…if you're scared…why did you agree? To become my guardian." He started picking at his shoelaces, frowning, and blinking quickly.

"…I just….you know…If my Zanarkand's gone…everyone I ever cared about is gone…my parents, they were both gone already, but I still had my teammates…they're all gone. I guess…I don't want that to happen to this place too…"

He looked up, cringing, as if I would laugh at him, but I pressed my lips together in a grim smile. "That's exactly how I feel…" I didn't speak after that, and neither did he, we just sat there, waiting for exactly nothing. Eventually, I yawned and stretched, and we both left back to the other room.

Kimahri had already gone to bed, and Wakka and Lulu conversed quietly at the table. They went dead silent when we walked in, and since they didn't seem to be in a good mood, I just went straight to my room, as Tidus went to his, only offering a quiet, "Goodnight."

Regardless of the fact that my mind refused to stop thinking a million miles per hour, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, my dreams blurry, smoke filled, with the ever evasive call of my father, echoing in the background, though I could never seem to find him.

Morning came far too soon, but I took the luxury of sleeping in a bit, knowing that we would leave today, and the more rest we had had, the better. When I did get up, my guardians were already eating, and I joined them, eagerly consuming the food, knowing this would be the last real meal we would have for several days. There was still a bitter silence between my guardians, but I knew that eventually, they would have to accept Tidus. When all the food had been eaten, I rose from my seat.

"Tidus, do you think you could show me the girl who healed me? I need to thank her." His previously blank expression changed to slightly distraught, but he said,

"I can try." pushing himself up from the table. He led me out of the room, into the courtyard, where a few people were milling about, in the morning light. He looked around, and then quickly approached a middle aged woman, who was huddled in a corner. He knelt down, putting a hand on her shoulder, and then she looked up.

"Is Karina…?" She burst into hysterical tears before he finished, covering her face with her hands.

"She…She…She diiiiied!" I came closer to crying than I had on the whole trip, knowing that it was likely that my life had been exchanged for the girl's-that she died from the weakness brought on by healing me. That this woman was in pain because I was not. I knelt down by her, squeezing my eyes tightly shut, my throat constricting so that I couldn't even speak to console her, so I just I took her hand, stroking it, allowing her to just let out her grief.

After several minutes, I asked her, "Has she been sent?" The woman broke down bawling again, and for a moment, I was scared that the girl had become a fiend, but she choked through her spasms, "Yes…Lady…Dona did…" Then she pulled her hand from mine, hugging her knees and burying her face in them, saying,

"Leave." Tidus and I traded pained glances, and I saw that Tidus had tears in his eyes. I turned away, drawing in a deep breath, then getting back to business. Lulu had come from the room, and I went to her, saying, "We will leave as soon as we have gotten some provisions."

We hadn't taken provisions from the villages because we didn't want to burden them, but the temples were always careful to have months worth of basic supplies, knowing that the they are the providers after Sin's attacks, until villages can get back on their feet. Even now, I'm sure that crusaders had come from the temple, bringing food, bandages, and help to the devastated villages.

We entered one of the side rooms; a nun was organizing some supplies, but when she saw us, she left what she was doing, bowing and saying, "M'lady summoner. Are you leaving?" I bowed back.

"Yes, we are, but do you think you have some dried fish we could take with us? And some water?" "Oh, yes, but do you have anything to carry it in?" I shook my head, we had hoped to get supplies in Kilika village, when we started out on Besaid, but we hadn't expected the attack.

"Okay, well that's fine, we have some to spare." She gathered some various things from different cabinets, coming up with some dried fruit and fish, some filled water skins, and several belts with a small bag on each hip. The three of us worked together, filling one bag on each of the five belts with fish, and the other with fruit. When we left the room weighed down with the supplies, I felt much more prepared to once again face the jungle. Tidus, Wakka and Kimahri met us by the stairs, and we passed around the belts and water skins, one of each for all of us. After that, we set off down the temple steps with new determination.

TidusxYuna Always


	20. Hit the Ground Running

20 Hit the Ground Running

As we walked down the staircase under the cruel sunlight, I wondered to myself how Tidus could possibly have carried me up the massive thing. Seven flights of fifty steps. Wounded, carrying a summoner, in unbearable heat.I knew that he was going to be a really good guardian, I just hoped desperately that it wouldn't spell his death.

I frowned at the thought, trying to dismiss it, but it kept nagging. In my heart, I knew it was very possible, if not probable. After all, maybe after all that time, it was just luck. One lucky thing after another, and after that, our luck will run out…

I knew my train of thought wasn't making things any better. When we got down three flights, there was a large, flat platform, on which the pavement was cracked and piled up in haphazard stacks. Judging by the way my guardians looked around confusedly, I guessed that it was different than the last time we were here.

"Was it like this on the way-" I began, but didn't finish as the rubble exploded in all directions, revealing huge, living vines. One swiped at Kimahri, knocking him off his feet, and delivering three lashes across his bear back from it's sharp, whip-like tentacles.

"Sinspawn!" Wakka shouted, dodging a second vine. Kimahri recovered quickly, making up for his slower reflexes with strength as he dealt a powerful blow at the base of the vine with his spear. It was all Lulu could do to avoid being hit, while sending a barrage of flames at the enemy every few seconds, unable to get to Wakka to pray over his blitzball, rendering him defenseless.

He did his best to evade the vines' attacks while trying to reach her, though it felt futile. The vines were smart enough to try to separate us. Tidus expertly dodged back and forth, delivering several shallow slashes in a vine's flesh before getting a good enough hit to vanquish it.

As I watched the action unfold, I tried to keep my eyes on all my guardians, while keeping from being struck, knowing I had to be ready to heal any of them as soon as they were knocked to the ground, unable to get up, or else the vines would close in to finish the job. The two remaining vines left me alone, focusing on my guardians, who were showing themselves to be a threat.

I took the opportunity, praying for ice, knowing I would help as much as I could. A perfect, sharp stream of ice pierced through the vine, causing it to stiffen for a moment, long enough for Kimahri to finish it off.

Lulu and Wakka had finally reached each other, Lulu praying quickly over his blitzball, before he reeled back, throwing it at the vine. He hit it, and the ball bounced back. He jumped up in an attempt to catch it, but it sailed over his head, bouncing off a pillar, and hitting Lulu.

She gave a brief cry of pain, the flames flaring up, but they didn't catch, so she let another volley of fire fly at the last vine, finishing the battle. For a few seconds, we all relaxed, but then another of the piles of rubble burst, sending large pieces of the stone flying everywhere.

I dove out of the way, but one glanced off my shoulder, leaving a jagged wound. Out of the dust had risen the main body of the Sinspawn, opening its shell to reveal its squid-like interior. As soon as the shell fell open, the spawn sprung into action, sending tentacles with poison tipped claws in our direction.

We danced about, and each time one of us was hit, it stung, leaving a shallow scrape, the poison burning the skin. For some reason, the spawn stopped, pulling the tentacles back to its body, and resting for a moment. We took the chance, I and all four guardians throwing everything we had at it, fire, and blades, and ice. The spawn retaliated from our efforts, shooting a toxic gas into the air as it died.

The gas infiltrated my lungs, and caused my vision to turn fuzzy green. I coughed and gasped, as did my guardians, but soon the air cleared, and we were able to breathe properly again. Tidus stooped, and coughed a few more times to clear the dusty substance that was coating his lungs.

I made my rounds to heal the lashes from the poisonous tentacles and then we were on our way again. Tidus seemed upset, but I didn't mention that I noticed, I decided that if he wanted to say something he would, I didn't need to invade his privacy. After we had cleared another set of stairs he finally spoke what was on his mind, though with a bit of caution, clearly not having forgotten Lulu's warning for him to keep his questions to himself.

"So…what are Sinspawn? Why'd you use fire, and light those pyreflies…?" He asked, his voice strained.

Surprisingly, Lulu didn't seem to mind his query, and answered quickly. "Fiends. When a fiend is killed, it's pyreflies float away, you've seen that. Sin separates the soul from the pyreflies. Sin is made up of those pyreflies, and sinspawn are beings that fall from Sin's body, and are left behind in its wake." Wakka interrupted Lulu, earning a look of reproach.

"Leave 'em alone, and Sin will come back for 'em. You gotta be quick!" Lulu didn't speak again, so I finished. "We don't know what happens to the souls, but Yevon says that once a soul has been absorbed into Sin long enough to reform into a fiend, the person's soul is no longer connected to the pyreflies. So, it's okay to light them, because it isn't hurting a soul, just an orb of light.

Fire is the most effective element in most situations, so we use it whenever we can without hurting a soul." This seemed to put his mind at rest. "Oh." The conversation left me wondering, not for the first time, what happens when a soul is absorbed. By the time we reached the bottom of the stairs, we were all sweating, and relieved by the shade of the trees. At the foot of the stairway, there was a well worn path, which led towards the main Kilikan village, which was were we had originally landed at, and was also the closest. Though it was often said that Kilika Temple was at the center of Kilika, it was actually nearer to the south side. I led us onto the path, gazing around the jungle for signs of danger, but found none. Since the path was well used, there was no undergrowth to contend with, and there were fewer fiends around, because the fiends learned that it is far easier to hunt in the undergrowth were foolish or lost travelers are often found, along with most of Kilika's wildlife. I turned to my guardians, assessing their conditions. "Since we have a straight path cut out for us, and fewer fiends, we can get to Kilika village in about two days, if we hurry. Are you all up for jogging?" They all nodded, and I took off at a slow jog, with them following closely. We kept it slow, able to stay at a steady pace for several hours, with no contact with fiend, human, or animal, before I decided we should stop to rest and eat. I came to a stop, groping for my water skin. The guardians took this as a sign to stop. I rested against a tree devouring some of the food, but quickly realizing that it would take some effort to make it last two days, so I only ate a few pieces. Once the guardians and I had all caught our breaths, eaten, and rested, we were about to set off again when we were ambushed by a few stray scout bee fiends. My guardians, though somewhat tired, were all quick and efficient, killing the bees in a matter of seconds, with no injuries to our party. When we finished, I gestured to the path before us.

"Shall we continue?" We all looked each other over quickly, to confirm the health of all, before going forward. After several minutes of jogging, Wakka sidled up to Tidus.

"So, uh, Tidus…do they got fiends in Zanarkand?" I was surprised at the sudden show of trust, glancing backwards every few seconds to view the conversation. I caught a slightly confused, and maybe pleased look from Tidus. "Just a few…it's a big deal when one shows up, though. And, since when did you start believing me about my Zanarkand anyway?" Even Lulu had grown interested in the conversation, though Kimahri kept his gaze straight ahead.

Wakka got a far off air about him for a few seconds before answering. "I been thinking a lot lately…Maybe people Sin gets too don't die. Maybe, Sin carries 'em through time, Like a thousand years though time. And then, one day, maybe they just…pop back, see?" His hopeful gaze dropped off his face when Lulu let out a breathy growl.

"Amazing! Simply amazing!" She gave him a pained glare, speeding up to be ahead of the whole group, scoffing as she went. "You make up one theory after another, refusing to face the simple truth. Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere! Sin crushed him! And left him on the Djose shore! He won't just pop back!" She stopped, spinning around to face us, as we all skidded to a halt to avoid colliding with each other. Her pain was breaking through on her expression, though she tried to hide it, it was pretty much useless.

"And one more thing. No matter how much you want it, no one can take Chappu's place! No one can take Sir Jecht's place, for that matter, and there's no replacement for Lord Braska, either!" As she looked from Tidus to me, cutting both of us deeply with her words. She looked almost ready to break into tears, which I had not seen in what seemed like forever.

"It's pointless to think about!" She shouted, spinning on her heel and running off, leaving us with no option except to follow. Her outburst brought on new waves of sorrow, missing my father, and Tidus seemed more upset in general, than sad.

I heard Wakka mumbling something about never being what Chappu was, and I would have comforted him, except that I had no words of comfort to offer. After a short time, Lulu tired, slowing to a more manageable pace. Until evening, there was a bitter silence between us, and we kept going until darkness had completely fallen over the jungle. Since there was almost no moon that night, we were left in practically complete darkness. I called two simple words.

"Let's rest." The guardians complied, munching on some food, gulping water, and curling up to sleep, though we were spread out more than wise, clearly, none of the guardians were interested in being near the others. I knew that we would have to deal with these troubles, as we all had them, but something about the dissension between us was going a bit too far. I hoped that by morning, with rest, we could cheer up.

I was disappointed. In the morning, we all woke at about the same time, and eyed each other almost warily as we finished off the last of our provisions and set off. After only a couple hours, we met with a group of Crusaders, returning from the village, which was being headed by two of the Crusaders from Besaid, young men I had grown up with. They were Luzzu, who was about Wakka's age, and Gatta, who was only a couple years older than I was. With a grin, Gatta shouted orders to the group of men, of whom many were slightly older than he.

"Company, halt!" I bowed, and they all bowed back in perfect unison. "Lady Yuna, it's good to see you alive and well." Though Luzzu said it with a smile on his face, there was grimness in his voice.

"And likewise to you, Sir Luzzu, Sir Gatta. If I may, how far are we from Kilika village?" Gatta glance back at the place from which they'd come, frowning a bit, calculating in his head.

"We left the village yesterday, late morning, though we've been marching, not jogging. If you keep going at your pace, you might reach it by nightfa-" He was cut off from ending his sentence, as a huge plant fiend came crashing down from the treetops, where I cannot understand why we didn't see it before. It landed upon and crushed to the ground the entire group of men. Its loose roots went wild, piercing into their bodies with their sharp tips, and injecting a poison which brought on almost instant sleep. It let out a disturbing roar, climbing off the haphazard pile of men, and lumbering towards us.

We had barely recovered from the shock when it was upon us, though Tidus had been the first to act. Performing a graceful flip, he leapt onto the top of the plant, stabbing his sword into the top of its 'head', though the action did little to effect the monster. It shook him off, though he managed to jump away from its flailing roots.

As the rest of us bounded back and forth, the thing kept roaring, and actually knocked over a small tree. Lulu shouted for us to cover her, and Kimahri and Wakka did so, as she prayed for several, long moments, for a powerful dose of lightening. Tidus didn't seem inclined to guard her, instead moving in front of me, slicing in half any roots that came our way. I wasn't sure if his complete disregarding of Lulu's 'command' was a good idea, but I'm not sure if I would've made it through the short time, without incurring a serious injury if it weren't for his disobedience.

There came a loud buzzing sound, as a thick, blindingly bright flash of electricity fell from the sky, frying the creature where it stood. Pyreflies exploded, flying rapidly to the sky, as the small amount that was left crumbled into dust. As soon as all traces of the monster where gone, the Crusaders began to wake, groaning and moaning in their pain.

Many began to sit up, even stand, as I rushed over to see if I could help. I placed a hand on Luzzu's shoulder, but he stopped me from trying to heal him. "No, we'll be fine, Yuna, we've been trained for this kind of thing." He grunted as he raised himself to his feet. "You need to get on with the pilgrimage."

I nodded, surveying the other men, to make sure no one was seriously injured. When I was satisfied, I bowed again, and my guardians and I hurried off. Only then did I notice Tidus falter, and I grabbed his arm, stopping him. He turned to see what I wanted, but his eyes glazed over, and began to move erratically, as if he was dizzy. He grimaced, taking a few stumbling steps backwards, then forwards, and then to the side, before toppling over.

Wakka exclaimed something in surprise, and Lulu and Kimahri stopped wordlessly, unconcerned, knowing I would just heal him and we would move on. This is just what I did, finding a deep wound on his one of his triceps. He blinked, shook his head, and smiled pathetically at me.

"Sorry…" He said as he rose. I almost laughed, finding his apparent need to apologize for getting hurt, while protecting me somewhat endearing. "It's fine…thanks for being my guardian."

We shared a quiet second of smiling, forgetting the circumstances, before returning to our journey towards the village. Since we had no provisions left, we were all determined to get to the destination by nightfall, leaving us all completely sapped of energy by the time it was dark, having spent the whole day pressing ourselves onward.

It must have been about ten at night when we finally passed through the newly erected village gates, and the village was quiet except the sound of waves lapping on the pillars the village rested upon. With a feeling of complete and total relief, having braved the deadly jungles of Kilika, survived the Trials, and come out with the aeon Ifrit, we proceeded to barge into the nearest inn, letting ourselves into the vacant rooms, knowing that it was common practice for inns to provide free room and board for summoners whenever it was needed.

As I drifted off to sleep, the last thing that was on my mind was something Ifrit's fayth had said to me. _"You are indeed special. Bahamut was right" _I couldn't fathom why Bahamut, aeon of Bevelle, the most powerful aeon know to Spira, would be speaking to Ifrit about me. I also wondered what was so special about me. I though maybe it was because my father had been a high summoner.

TidusxYuna Always


	21. Nervous Energy

21 Nervous Energy

When I woke up the next day, I looked around, confused for a minute, before remembering that we'd made it through the jungle, and we were safe. Well, as safe as we could get. I sat up, looking out over the sea through the broken glass of my window, noting how calm it looked.

I knew we'd be setting sail today, I just hoped Sin wasn't still out there, lurking in the depths, waiting for us. I rose, and made myself as presentable as possible, then left in search of food and water. In the lobby, there was a stash of food in packages, looking like it had only recently been delivered, probably by the crusaders.

I figured they'd be okay with me helping myself, and it looked like there was plenty to go around the whole village, so I dug out a small bag of dried fish and another of dried fruit. Though I was beginning to get tired of Kilika's not-so-delicious food, I knew it was better than going hungry, and soon, we'd be on to the next place, and the next new kinds of food.

I just hoped Luca had a more pleasant diet. As I was eating, Kimahri entered the room, coming to stand next to were I was seated on a lopsided chair. His face momentarily softened, giving me a fatherly look before taking on his usual blank, yet calculating frown.

Soon after I finished, Lulu came out, her eyes scanning the room before she relaxed, and got some rations for herself. Several minutes later, Wakka rose, and also ate. In the next half hour, we all reclined tiredly in the half-broken chairs, watching people come in and out, getting food and supplies. When it had been about thirty five minutes, Wakka let out a loud breath, rising and breaking the long silence. "I think I'm gonna go wake dat boy up."

I half smiled, as Wakka lumbered towards the hallway, just as Tidus stepped out of the doorway nearest to us, rubbing his eyes. When he realized we were all staring at him, he dropped his hands to his sides, offering an attempt at an appeasing smile, then mumbling, "What'd I do this time?" Lulu and I stood, and I led us all to the door.

"Nothing, you just slept in a bit. The ship's probably been ready for the last few days, so they'll be eager to leave." I had forgotten that he hadn't eaten, and wasn't about to leave without food. "Hey! Wait! What about breakfast?!" I glanced back, seeing him looking quite fixedly at the pile of boxes containing sustenance.

"Oh, sorry, we already ate." Wakka gave him a playful punch in the arm, making a half hearted attempt to be cheerful. "We ate, while you was sleep'n." Tidus rubbed his shoulder where Wakka had punched, then grabbing several packets of food and came out the door. "Sorry about that…I'm not used to waking up early after staying up half the night…"

He took in another breath as if to say more, but then thought the better of it. I led the group across the docks, the town already bustling with people, all seeming very busy, probably to keep their minds occupied, so they wouldn't have to spend much time thinking about the most recent tragedy.

When we arrived at the ship, the whole blitz team from Kilika, and ours from Besaid, where already on it, waiting along with a small party of islanders. Word must have gotten around quickly that we had arrived back at the village.

The captain of the ship, a different one than we had arrived on, bowed as we boarded, then pushing the ramp back onto the dock, and waving to a young woman in overalls, who then went below deck. There was a small group of people on the dock bidding us all goodbye, but mostly just passersby, because most of the village was currently working to put the town and their lives back together.

As I wandered around the ship, all of us going our separate ways, I was struck by a fantastic idea. This is the last boat ride on the pilgrimage. I might as well use the time wisely. So, I went below deck, found an empty hammock, and proceeded to get some well needed rest.

When I woke, I felt much stronger, and went quickly on deck, noticing Lulu sleeping in the hammock nearest to mine. She didn't wake, and I didn't bother her. When I left the cabin, I found that it was already dark outside, the stars shining brightly. After a few moments of searching the sparsely populated ship, I found the galley, where there was a mostly empty pot of something which resembled soup, simmering on the stove. T

here was a heavy man sitting snoring in the corner, a dirty ladle hanging limply in his hand. I shook him lightly, and he woke up, his pudgy face changing to a jovial grin. "Well hello there missy. Can ah help ya?" I was startled by his casual manner, but then remembered that my clothing did not reveal my status as summoner, so he didn't know.

I decided to leave it that way, preferring to maintain a friendly ease with people, instead of being constantly ooh and awed at, because of my rank. I smiled back, trying to reflect his jolliness. "Is that soup ready?" He laughed a deep, throaty laugh, and lifted himself to his feet with some difficulty.

"Ah served this two hours 'go! You musta been busy er something, cause the whole ship gathered in tha mess hall!" I followed him over to the pot where he scooped an enormous portion into a bowl which Lulu and I could have shared, and still had some left over, then handing it to me.

I smiled, trying to balance the near-over flowing dish with the rocking current. "Thank you!" He offered me the ladle, grinning. "We don't got any spoons." I smiled, turning it down, even though I couldn't have taken it if I wanted to, too busy keeping the soup from spilling all over me. "Oh, thank you, but I think I'll be fine without one." He turned and began to serve up another portion. "Alrighty then!"

I shuffled out of the room, sipping as I went. The soup was actually much better tasting than it looked, somewhat like tomatoes, except with some exotic seasoning. It warmed my insides, and went down smoothly, filling my empty stomach. After I had finished about a third of the bowl, sitting in the empty mess hall, I could eat no more, so I took it back to the galley, where the cook was slurping down the last remains of the pot.

I felt a little rude, having not finished, but I knew there was no way I would be able to, and I didn't just want to leave it in the mess hall to spill everywhere. He looked up, grinning. "Hey there! Ya want some more?" I offered him the bowl, smiling apologetically. "Thank you, it was good, but I can't eat anymore." "What? Can't eat anymore?" He waved his ladle at me. "Ya need ta get some fat on those bones, missy!"

I looked down at myself, realizing that I had indeed already shrunken during our jungle expedition, but there was nothing I could do about it, and I certainly couldn't eat another bite.

"Thank you for caring, but I'm stuffed." He resigned, taking the bowl while mumbling something about dying of starvation, and then began to eat the rest. I left, in search of someone else to talk to, back to the main deck of the ship. I heard Wakka's voice floating over from the other side of the ship, a pleasant laugh, accompanied by those of the Aurochs. As I rounded the corner, I saw Tidus standing facing the water, his back to me.

He had a blitz ball trapped beneath his foot, a hand on his hip, and was staring hard at the ground. I stood quietly, not sure if I should interrupt, and was actually curious to see if he would do anything. I also noticed that the Aurochs had grown quiet, and Tidus seemed to not have realized they were watching him. After a moment of just standing there, Tidus rolled the ball from beneath his foot, pulled back, and kicked it fiercely against the steps at the stern of the ship. When it came flying back, he kicked it again, hitting the same place, and when it came back for the second time, he leapt in the air, hitting it with his forehead, again striking the stairs and returning. This time he punched it, sending it again against the stairs, and as it came back to him for the last time, he leapt high into the air, higher than one would think is humanly possible, spinning rapidly, and kicking the ball with such power, it flew away, disappearing into the night, so far that I didn't even hear it splash into the sea.

Though it had been years since I'd seen it, I knew exactly what he'd just done. The _"Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark Three". _Just seeing it once again sparked up the longing for the city Zanarkand, a city where there is laughter, not fear. I felt my jaw going slack from the sheer astonishment seeing the shot brought on, and I hung back as I watched the Aurochs slowly creep up to him from the shadows, in complete awe. Tidus seemed almost surprised at his success, and then he began to laugh, but it was a bitter laugh, something different than happiness. "The best! Yeah RIGHT!" he said sarcastically to no one in particular.

At that moment, the Aurochs were standing right behind him, gazing in silent wonder. He suddenly became aware of their presence, spinning around, completely caught off guard. "W-Whoa! What's dat shot called?!" Wakka burst out. Tidus spent a split second longer than necessary to answer, averting his eyes for a second. "Doesn't have a name." After a second-long pause, he added, "Anyone can do it, if they try!"

I wondered why he'd lied, that it actually did have a name, guessing that he didn't want to speak of his father. I wondered why, but knew I would have to wait on him to open up about it, when he was ready. Wakka handed Tidus another blitz ball. "Show us again, ya?" Tidus took the ball, setting it on the ground as the Aurochs moved away slightly, giving him room. He turned around, walking away from the ball a bit, then noticing me. He looked a bit disconcerted, and I waved smiling, partially from just being nice, and also, I couldn't contain the excitement of seeing the shot again.

He turned back to the ball, scratching the back of his head self consciously before walking up to the ball, and doing the shot again, even more perfectly than the time before. The Aurochs chorused in "Wow!" gave various oohs and ahhs, and proceeded to try the shot. As they all fell over in failed attempts, he left them, meandering over to me.

I clasped my hands behind my back, squeezing them together in an effort to diffuse the jumpy-happy feeling seeing the shot gave me, not wanting to look like an idiot. "That was the Jecht shot!" Surprise registered on his face, than annoyance, and he turned from me, looking out over the sea. "How do you know that?" I followed him over, smiling at the memory, laughing a bit. "Sir Jecht showed it to me when I was a child." I knew talking about his Dad probably wasn't what he wanted to do, but I figured there was no turning back now.

"He called it the 'Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark III.'" I mimicked Jecht's voice as best I could, which was not very well, as I said the name, trying not to laugh. Tidus turned facing me, though he didn't look at me. He sighed in irritation. "Stupid name, huh?" He hoisted himself onto the railing. "You know what? There is no mark I, or mark II! My old man said the name Mark III was just something to hook the crowd.

He said they'd come back every night expecting to see Mark I and Mark II." He spat out the names in disgust. "And, they really did come back…I used to…get so mad…" I couldn't hold back a small laugh at this, thinking it was a funny thing to get mad about, and he lowered his head in embarrassment when I did, making me regret it. After a moment of quiet, he looked up, a hard expression on his face and in his eyes. "Is he alive, you think?"

He looked almost as if he dreaded the answer. I though for a second, lowering my own head and shaking it. "I don't know…" Looking back up, I got a new resolve in my voice. "But, Sir Jecht WAS my father's guardian." Tidus interrupted with a truly exasperated voice. "So he's famous here, too?" I nodded. "Yes. So, if anything happened to him, I should think word would get around fast." He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin in his hand, looking intently at me, almost through me.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I asked a question perhaps better left unanswered. "What would you do, if you found him?" He pushed himself off the railing, squinting angrily. "Who knows? I thought he died ten years ago." He walked past me, looking out over the darkened horizon. "I'd probably smack him one!" He made a punching motion in the air, then hanging his head miserably, his voice growing soft. "After everything he put Mom and me through…"

I wondered what it was, but I stayed silent, letting him vent his emotions. "And because he was famous, I was always…" He turned around, gesturing at me. "Well, you should know, Yuna. Your father's famous, too. Everyone in Spira knows him, right? Ain't it tough?" I wasn't exactly sure what he was getting at, so I just carefully spoke, without saying too much. "It is hard…to follow in his footsteps, as a summoner…but, the honor of having a father like him surpasses all that, I think."

Tidus scoffed, but there was more pain behind his expression than he was trying let on. "Well, there wasn't much to honer about my old man, that's for sure." I was shocked at his lack of respect, and I reprimanded him for it before I gave myself a chance to consider the fact that he knew much more than I did, about Jecht. "You shouldn't say that about your father!" He frowned pointing to himself. "I got the right!"

Deciding that I couldn't change his opinion, I simply relented. "I guess you do…" At that point, a blitz ball hit Tidus in the shoulder, and Wakka called out, "Hey! Show me that move again!" Tidus went over, and spent the next hour coaching the pitiful blitzers on how to do the Jecht Shot, but none of them succeeded, or even got anywhere remotely close.

While they were nearing the end, Lulu came out, and stood next to me, her arms crossed. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, she spoke. "Why do you want him as a guardian?" I was a bit startled by her bluntness, though she was always like that, I never quite got used to it. I broke my hour-long gaze from the blitzball practice session, and looked straight at her. "I…well, he-he's Sir Jecht's son…Sir Jecht was one of my father's guardians. He also was from Zanarkand."

I didn't want to talk with her about my longing for a his Zanarkand, though I'd mentioned it before, I wanted to keep it low key, not knowing what she would think of my weakness. "Oh…" She said, her voice trailing off.

She turned her eyes to the blitzers, as I did, just in time to see Wakka take an embarrassing tumble onto the deck. Lulu winced a bit, and stayed quiet. Wakka sat up, but got comfortable, making it clear he didn't intend to stand anytime soon. The other blitzers, and Tidus, soon sat down around him, settling into a noisy but unintelligible conversation, probably about blitzball.

Lulu saw that I didn't want to talk about Tidus anymore, and she gave me a serious gaze before leaving. "It's your privilege, your choice. But I don't like being closed out." She left me to ponder that, heading off in another direction. I turned, leaning on the railing, letting the upper half of my body hang out over the sea, salty air playing through my hair. That's when I noticed, a long way off in the distance, a huge fin, with a harpoon sticking out of it, swimming away from us

TidusxYuna Always


	22. Star of Zanarkand

22 Star of Zanarkand

When I saw Sin, I froze in terror, soon calmed a bit as I realized that it was quickly fading into the distance, clearly with no intention of attacking us. It was heading west, not towards any civilization. I knew that if people knew how close it had come without us knowing, the whole ship might be flung into an uproar of panic, even though no good would be accomplished.

So, I decided to keep it to myself, at least for now. As I watched the monster disappear over the horizon, the question of why it had not attacked was nagging at me, but I knew there was no way that I could find out, so it was best to ignore it.

Wakka stood up, along with the Aurochs, who all at once appeared to have decided that their conversation was over. When Tidus stayed sitting, a lopsided grin on his face, Wakka leaned down, grabbed him by the arm, and yanked him to his feet. Wakka proceeded to give Tidus a noogie, saying something about bed head. I smiled at the silly, almost carefree actions, but I knew that behind just about everything Wakka did, there was a more serious backing, hidden behind his playful, sometimes even childish demeanor.

Tidus began to complain, unable to free himself from the larger man's grasp. He continued to protest for several seconds, growing increasingly louder, until Wakka let him go. Wakka then turned to me. "Yuna, you oughtta get some sleep!" "But I-" I began, but he laughed. "I know, you've been sleepin' all day, But the more rest we all get, the better! You too, Tidus! It's past your bedtime!"

"Is not!" Tidus moaned, but Wakka grabbed his arm, and dragged him back to the central cabin. I followed, and we each flung ourselves into our hammocks. Lulu was already fast asleep.

I figured Wakka must be right, if both of them thought we should get more sleep, and both had been on pilgrimages before. In a matter of minutes, Wakka began snoring, and at about that time, the Aurochs filed in, all falling asleep quickly, no doubt exhausted from their little training session with Tidus. In the next half hour, more people came in, until every one of the hammocks were full, mostly with snoring men. I still couldn't sleep, though I tossed and turned as best as I could in a hammock.

Eventually, I settled into a position with a full view of the rest of the cabin. Bored, I scanned the sleeping people, but stopped when I saw Tidus. He was laying in his hammock across the room on his stomach, his chin resting over his crossed arms. What made me stop was that his eyes were wide open, and he was staring at the door.

"Hey!" I whispered, quickly gaining his attention. I grinned, a plan instantly forming in my mind. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to sleep any time soon, and it seemed he was in the same predicament. I pointed to the door, raising my eyebrows slightly. He made the same gesture back at me, grinning.

I nodded, slowly pushing myself out of the hammock, softly hitting the floor on the balls of my feet. Tidus did the same, and we crept out into the night. The whole deck was deserted, and the only sound was our footsteps and the water lapping on the sides of the ship. As soon as we got far enough away from the cabin to keep from waking anyone, we exchanged looks that said, _'We are so clever!'_ and began to laugh. It felt good.

Once we finished our fit of giggling, we stood quietly for a moment. I grinned. "Can you do the Sublimely Magnificent Jecht Shot Mark Three, again?" I asked, holding back another bout of laughter at the ridicules name. As his answer, he grabbed one of the blitzballs which were rolling around on deck and placed it under his foot, smiling at me.

"You know, I must've done this shot twenty times today!" Then he proceeded to do the whole shot, adding a back flip at the end, landing directly in front of me and bowing with a flair and a very silly expression. I smiled and laughed, dreaming of seeing the move performed in a Zanarkand stadium, all lit up at night, surrounded by stands full of thousands of fans cheering wildly in their excitement, with not a thought of Sin ever crossing their minds.

I stepped towards the railing, gazing out over the sea. "There's just…something about that shot…it makes me think of your Zanarkand…" He came up beside me, all playful air gone. "Hm…" was his reply. He was quiet for a moment before speaking again. " So…What's Zanarkand to you? My Zanarkand. I mean…why is it so important?" I took a deep breath, wondering exactly what to say, without having to bring up the painful subject of my future in the Zanarkand that is home to the final aeon.

"It's…hard to explain…I guess…I've always dreamed of a place…where people don't have to be afraid. Ever. They just live their lives in peace, have fun, without having to worry about dying in the night, or waking to find their family dead. I've dreamed of a place were machina is used for good, not for evil, where it explodes in wonderful colors and patterns in the night sky, not to destroy, but to make beauty…I want to cheer and go crazy over a blitz game in the Blitzball stadium with not a person around who would think worse of me, just because I'm a summoner who's acting like a commoner…you know? I just want to…to not be afraid…to not be sad."

He was silent for a long moment, and then said, "Yeah…" trailing off. We both leaned on the railing, watching the water, and I remembered what I had seen earlier. "I-while you were talking with the Aurochs, I saw Sin…" He looked up, startled, and gave me an inquisitive frown.

"Why didn't you say something? What if it…attacks someone else?" He cringed, glancing in all directions, as if somehow he might see it now. "It was swimming away, it was already a long way off, and, it was heading west, away from any civilization. I figured that people would just panic if I mentioned it."

He nodded distantly, and we stood in more silence for several minutes, pondering life and death. Eventually, I asked, "So…what's Zanarkand to you…Besides being your home?" He looked up at the sky, admiring the stars. "Well…it was safe; unnatural death wasn't common…except that both my parents died." He paused and smiled bitterly at the irony, then went on.

"I was a star, the star. The most famous, idolized person in all Zanarkand, so, that was pretty nice…I had blitzball, my fans, my friends, my teammates...I was happy…just want that back." I gave a small smile, but there was something missing to his description. The first time I ever met Jecht, he told me of his wife and son.

The most important thing to me aside from freedom from Sin, I had associated it with Zanarkand since that day. Family. I have always dreamed of there never being another broken family. I long for fathers, mothers, and children, all together in peace, unafraid of what the next day will bring. I wanted people to be sure that when they come home every day, that their family will still be alive.

My stomach churned with the nausea that I never failed to feel whenever I thought of the endless death that consumed Spira. "So…what was family like, in Zanarkand?"

He breathed out, tilting his head away from me, not answering for several seconds. "Family was…" He swallowed, and at first I thought he was unable to go on. "Family was special in Zanarkand. Whole families went together everywhere. All my blitz buddies' families always went to every game. Then we go out and have fun till dawn…I was the only one who…didn't have a family."

There was a moment of painful silence, and despite the sadness, I couldn't help but feel somehow…a bit attracted to his sensitivity. Most of the crusaders, and some of the people in Spira, had closed themselves in emotionally, like Lulu had, or tried to hide it, like Wakka. But Tidus, he stayed open. I liked that. "I-I'm sorry that you had no family. I know how it hurts."

He nodded and swallowed, his head dipping towards the deck. "I think I'm going to get some rest." He mumbled. Without looking at my way, he left me on the deck and disappeared into the cabin. I watched him go, then turning my eyes to the starlit sky. For that moment, the whole world seemed quiet, almost peaceful. I breathed in the cold, salty night air, trying to calm my distressed heart and mind, but I could not.

I laid down on the deck, resting my head in my hands, still gazing into the heavens. I stayed that way for a long time, pondering and praying. After a while, I drifted into a fitful sleep.

"Yuna. Yuuuna!" Wakka's voice woke me, and I blinked my eyes in the bright early morning light, looking up to see Tidus and my guardians gathered around me. Wakka was peeved, which was unusual for him. I sat up, and Wakka nodded his head sideways to the stern of the ship. "Let's talk."

He looked at Lulu, and she tilted her head down a bit, and walked slowly to the stern. I followed them, but Tidus and Kimahri stayed behind. I glanced back at Tidus questioningly, and he gave me the pathetic kind of smile that says, _"Oops."_

Wakka let out a loud breath before starting. "Yuna. You're a summoner now. You gotta get your rest. I know I'm not the boss of you, but I think you should at least take my advice." He looked disappointed in me, and Lulu simply kept her usual expression and stood in silence. I drooped my head in shame, feeling sorry for letting my friends down.

But, I still wished that they would just let me do as I thought best. I wanted to do anything to feel as peaceful as I could. I didn't want to be any more anxious and afraid than necessary, knowing what my destination holds for me. I was simply trying to relieve as much of the emotional pressure I was feeling by doing things just because I still can, before I no longer exist.

I simply said, "I'm sorry." Wakka crossed his arms a nodded. I backed away, and then went to the galley to get some of the watery porridge. It was not appetizing, but I was hungry, and it was good to have something to fill my stomach with. As I went about the ship, I could feel the eyes of Lulu and Wakka scrutinizing my every action, and I felt too awkward to approach Tidus. He seemed to feel the same, as he secluded himself alone, without giving me so much as a glance.

The rest of the ride to Luca was a blur. I got up so that I could practice my powers with the elements, eat, and spend a little time speaking with Wakka and Lulu about trivial things, and then go back to sleep.

This was how I passed the next three days, hardly making eye contact with Tidus. I found that with each passing hour separated from him, I slipped deeper into a numb state, as if I was a robot. I simply lived through each day, as though watching my life go by with no control over it.

I could hardly believe how quickly I had become so attached to him as genuine friend; I knew this was exactly what Lulu told me not to do, but I couldn't change the truth; most people were my friends more out of pity and gratefulness rather than actually caring about me for who I am. But not Tidus. He liked me not because of what I would soon do, but for the time we spent together, for who we are when we're together.

TidusxYuna Always


	23. Spirit of Luca

23 Spirit of Luca

We had arrived at Luca. I stood alone on the upper deck; away from the clamor of blitzball players and returning Lucans, leaning on the railing of the ship shouting about the tournament. I noticed that Tidus was not with them, he was at the bow of the ship, holding on to a rope. He was leaning out as far as he could, as close as possible to the city we approached.

Dozens of hot air balloons rose in the air, banners and flags were everywhere. Thousands of people milled about the city. Announcements could be heard from a loudspeaker, giving constant updates on the amateur game that was in progress, and also about the arriving Blitz teams.

"Ah, over there! The ships carrying the players are arriving now! This would be dock number 2. All the way from Kilika, it's the Kilika Beasts! High Summoner Ohalland used to play for them - a big name to live up to. Their hometown was recently attacked by Sin. Isn't that right, Jimma?"

"Yes, Bobba. They're going to be pulling out all the stops to try and bring back the cup this year."

All blitz game announcers in Luca are the same. Cold; Heartless. They're overly happy. In the last seventy-seven years, Luca hasn't been attacked by sin; It's people had grown distant from the world around them. Fear was still there, as Sin was constantly drawn to it by the large number of people living there, but the Crusaders had lost hundreds of lives protecting the city.

The flippant way in which the announcers blatantly spoke about the death that had come to Kilika made me sick, furious even. But I hid my feelings, knowing that anger does not become a summoner.

Then Bobba said, "Exciting, isn't it, folks?" As if the attack was just something to make more fun drama. I wanted to scream and cry and shout that people died, and they're dismissing it as nothing, but I didn't want to ruin the mood of happy anticipation. No need to make things worse than they already are. I reminded myself that Blitz games are for forgetting about Sin, not mourning. As Wakka and the Aurochs exited the ship, the announcer continued.

"Our next team off the ramp is...Well, well, well! If it isn't the Besaid Aurochs! They're a living, breathing, statistical impossibility! I've never seen a team this bad! That's right! In twenty-three years they've never made it past the first round! Only a few die-hard fans are in the audience today."

I could see the Auroch team visibly droop as laughter made its rounds through the spectators, as children pointed and their mothers tried to get them to stop. My eyes fell on Tidus as he followed the team, I could see that he was angered by all that was transpiring, his eyes darting around at the people gathered round. He crossed his arms and looked up at the sky in annoyance. The mocking continued.

"Best of luck to them, and a safe trip back to Besaid." With that, they moved excitedly on to the next team. "And here they are, folks! Our very own Luca Goers! They've got power! They've got speed! They've got teamwork! They're and all-around first-class team!" The crowd cheered for the Goers while other announcer chimed in, "Without a doubt, they are the favorite this year, Bobba. And after the way they dominated last year, it'd take a miracle for them to lose today." "You can say that again, Jimma.

Look at the crowd folks, look at the crowd! Looks like all of Luca has turned out to cheer the Goers on! They know, I know, and you know, folks! The Luca Goers are number 1!"

Tidus was clearly very agitated by all this, and it didn't get any better when the Goers took notice of the Aurochs. "Ya hear that?" The leader asked in a proud sort of way. "The Luca Goers always win!" The Aurochs barely made eye contact with the Goers, but I could see that Tidus was holding back a snide reply. When the Goers saw that they were being ignored, another added, "So, what's your goal this time? You gonna, "do your best" again?" They laughed. "It's too bad your best isn't good enough! Why even bother showing up?"

Finally, Tidus had enough. "Hey! I'm star player of the Zanarkand Abes, you may not of heard of me, but we're gonna take you down!" Disbelieving amusement showed on their faces, chuckles rippled through the group. Tidus then grabbed a megaphone from a nearby spectator who was cheering at the top of her lungs for the Goers. He jumped up onto a pile of crates as the Goers started to walk away. "Stop right there, Goers! You guys are smiling' now, but not for long! Cause this year, us Aurochs are takin' the cup!"

More laughter followed He jumped down and tossed the megaphone back to the woman who failed to catch it. She bent down and picked it up, glaring at Tidus. Wakka was a bit flabbergasted. "What in Yevon's name were you doin'?!" Tidus just smirked, his eyes turning my way. When he saw that I was looking straight at him, he quickly looked away, though.

The announcers began talking again. "Oh! Folks, look here! Grand Maester Mika's arrived at dock three!" They kept talking but I couldn't decipher what they were saying over the sound of the crowd moving all in one direction. I didn't know were dock three was, but I could assume that if we just followed the others we'd find it.

"Maester Mika! Let's go see him!" I called to my guardians. We all jogged along with the crowds, reaching dock three after several minutes. There was a clamor, but eventually we made it to the front, but the ramp hadn't lowered yet, and there was no sign of Maester Mika. Tidus leaned towards me. "Who's Maester Mika? What's a Maester?"

I smiled, anticipation dancing in my chest. I had never seen the Grand Maester before. He rarely came to the games, he was a rather elusive, yet very famous man. "There are three Maesters and one grand Maester. Three of the Maesters are leaders of parts of Spira, while Grand Maester Mika is leader of all Spira. This year's tournament is in honor of his fiftieth year as Maester. That's why he came."

Tidus seemed a bit piqued by this. "Fifty years? Shouldn't he be uh, retired by now?" He acted like he was joking, but I could see some seriousness behind his words. "Hey!" Wakka chimed in. "Mind your mouth now!" Wakka was about to add more, but trumpets sounded and several warrior monks walked off the ship in a procession, followed by a tall blue haired Guado.

I could hear people in the crowd murmuring about him. He turned back to the ship, lowered himself to one knee and did the formal prayer gesture. They way he did it seemed almost too showy, almost prideful, though he was on his knee. I dismissed my inkling, knowing that I must be wrong. I and the crowd followed suit, bowing to a well dressed elderly man who I could only assume was the Grand Maester.

The Grand Maester the spoke while the Guado remained kneeling. "People of Spira, I thank you for your generous welcome." He addressed the Guado and then the people again. "Rise, Maester Seymour." The Guado stood, and turned to us. The grand Maester spoke again. "I present to you...the son of Maester Jyscal Guado, who departed for the Farplane a fortnight past. As some of you already know, he has been officially ordained a Maester of Yevon." The Maester Seymour bowed, and I still sensed a hint of pride in his actions. "I am Seymour Guado. I am honored to receive the title of Maester. In life, my father Jyscal worked to foster friendship between man and Guado. I vow to carry on his legacy, and to fulfill my duties as Maester to the best of my abilities." His eyes fell upon me. He lingered too long for comfort, eventually shifting his gaze to my eyes. I held eye contact in an attempt to be respectful, but I wanted to hide behind someone instead.

Out of the corner of my eye, by Tidus' tense, obviously agitated body language, the way that glanced between the two of us, I could tell that he saw that something was up. I could feel my cheeks warming with embarrassment, but soon the Maester turned and followed the grand Maester Mika away. I self consciously brushed my hair away from my face and turned to my guardians as the crowd dispersed.

Wakka called to his Aurochs. "All right, we gotta get a last bit of practice before the match tomorrow!" He looked at me, realizing that he was still my guardian, and I was his first responsibility. I took a couple seconds to find my voice and get my thoughts in order. "We'll meet back here thirty minutes before sunset." I said.

"Then we can find an inn to stay at for the night." "Alright, then!" Wakka motioned to his Aurochs, and the group left, heading in the direction of the stadium; presumably to find their locker room. Tidus gave me a second long look with a hint of concern in it, and then followed the Aurochs. I was left with Lulu and Kimahri.

Lulu asked Kimahri something while I was looking around at the celebrating city. She approached me and laid a hand my shoulder. I turned to her and she handed me a red pouch which Kimahri had been carrying on his belt. "Here are some gil that the villagers of Besaid gave to help us along your pilgrimage. They knew that you wouldn't take it, so they told me not to give it to you until we needed it."

I covered my mouth drawing in a quiet breath. I had a small sum which I had spent my entire apprenticeship hoarding away whenever I could. I had tucked it into my obi, and I had hoped that it would be enough. I opened the pouch and saw that it contained several hundred gil. I knew that now what we had would be enough to get us through the pilgrimage.

I was relieved, but also sorry that the Besedians were now without this money. I took one of the coins out, admiring the way it shined in the sun. I smiled at Lulu and then we went to a nearby food shop. All the blitz players would receive free food, but everyone else had to bay for it. We bought a loaf of sweetbread and a chocobo leg to share between the three of us.

Lulu was displeased by the difficulty in eating it gracefully, but it was worth the trouble. I hadn't tasted anything so good in weeks. We walked around the city and enjoyed the sights, trying to enjoy a last bit of freedom before going off again to continue the pilgrimage.

I knew that Lulu and Kimahri didn't enjoy it at all, but I at least tried. After a couple hours, we sat down to rest by a water fountain with a statue of high summoner Ohalland at its center. After sitting quietly in thought for maybe fifteen minutes, I heard a young woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties say excitedly to her friend, "Lecia! Joce said he heard that sir Auron was in the café near the blitz stadium!"

The two giggled and ran off. A light sparkled in my eyes, "Come on!" I nearly shouted at Lulu and Kimahri. I took off running, but soon stopped and asked a passerby if he knew where the Auroch's locker room was. He scoffed and said, "Of course they'll be in room ZERO!"

He practically danced off in glee. I knew he was probably right, however mean it was, so I headed to the stadium, hoping it would be easy to find the locker rooms. I wanted to take Tidus with me, in case sir Auron really was there, and he knew where to find sir Jecht. Something I had wondered for years was why neither of them ever showed their faces again until now. As I ran, I was hoping that I soon would have those questions answered.

It turned out that finding the locker rooms was pretty straightforward, and the Aurochs were in room zero. I rushed in, exclaiming, "Tidus! There you are!" I swallowed, trying to catch my breath. "Someone said they saw sir Auron in a café!" I didn't realize that I had never mentioned that my father had another guardian, but the name seemed to mean something to Tidus.

His eyes widened in shock, the most shock I'd seen him in since I'd met him. "Au-Auron?!" "Yes! Sir Auron! Let's go find him!" I motioned for him to come out with me. I turned around once he was out, and realized that we had accidentally lost Lulu in the crowd. I was in too much of a hurry to wait for her to arrive, and I knew that we would meet up by the dock in a couple hours anyway.

So Tidus, Kimahri and I went off to find Sir Auron. A couple Al Bhed blitzers were standing near the locker room, and Tidus stopped and said something about thanking another Al Bhed girl for feeding him. Then he stammered, and seemed a bit embarrassed when he realized that they couldn't understand him.

They spoke amongst themselves as Tidus walked off, his cheeks lightly tinged with pink, looking at me as if to see if I had seen the exchange. The three of us jogged to the center of the blitz area and then stopped to look around. There were people everywhere, and I was concerned that we might get separated like we had with Lulu.

A sphere-camera crew stepped in front of us as someone pointed me out as the daughter of High Summoner Braska, and also a summoner myself. They started asking questions and extending microphones. I felt bad for being rude, but I really wanted to see Sir Auron. "I'm sorry." I bowed. "Please let me through." I had to ask several times, but I finally got my point across.

As we continue jogging, weaving our way through the crowd, Tidus looked at me in a curious fashion. "You're really famous." I wasn't sure what to say to this, so I was quiet for a moment. "Yes. summoners are almost always famous…"

I wasn't able to carry on much of a conversation while running, but Tidus wasn't breathing hard at all. I figured it was all his blitz experience. As the crowd grew even thicker, I checked behind me to make sure Kimahri was still following. He looked like he was having a little more trouble getting through the throng of people, but still managing to keep up.

I said to Tidus, "I hope we don't get separated. He grinned and stuffed his fingers in his mouth, releasing a high-pitched, very loud whistle, getting the attention of just about everyone around us. People stared as they walked by, but Tidus ignored them. "In Zanarkand, we whistle to cheer on blitz players. You try it too! Put your fingers in you mouth, likes this."

We had stopped at this point, standing still in the moving crowd. I tried to mimic the way he did it. But I couldn't get it right, I blew but no sound resulted. I laughed at my failure and said, "It's not working!" He smiled. "That's okay, just practice! You'll get it. Use that if we get separated. Then, I'll come running, okay? But until you can do it, let's stick together ." I nodded. "Okay. Let's go!" The three of us took off again.

After running at a good pace for several minutes, we reached the town square. I could see the door of the pub, so I figured we could stop to catch our breaths. If Auron left the pub, I'd see him. Tidus was not winded at all, but it took me a minute to be able to breath normally. "This is a pretty big town!" Tidus said, looking around the square.

"Yes, Luca is the second largest city in Spira." I said. "I though every town was little…you know, like Besaid and Kilika." His statement was more of a question. "Towns don't usually get bigger that that…Because…when a lot of people start to gather…" I didn't want to finish my sentence, so Tidus finished it for me. "Sin…? What about Luca? Is it safe here?" "No." I replied. "It's no different, but the stadium is here. The Crusaders fight to protect it with all their strength." Tidus looked quite baffled. "They fight to protect the stadium?"

I smiled a sad sort of smile. "Blitzball's really the only entertainment that we have. Spira's a little short on fun these days." It took a couple seconds for him to take this in. "Whoa…talk about pressure!" There was a short silence, before I decided to try again to learn more of Zanarkand. "Is Zanarkand anything like this?" He looked around. "Well, there are a lot more people, lots of music…and the buildings are bigger and taller, and all cramped together."

Him saying that there were more people reminded me of the death that caused the Spiran population to be constantly dwindling. I decided to change the subject. I said, "Let's go find Sir Auron!" We went into the pub, and I first spoke to the bartender. He said that he didn't know of a Sir Auron who had come in. Tidus and Kimahri had started to look around in the pub for him, and I was about to join them, but two men grabbed me.

One covered my mouth, and the other dragged me out of the pub. I tried to scream, but no one noticed because of all the excitement over the amateur blitz game that was currently underway. The forced my to swallow the contents of a tiny flask. Everything went blurry. They released me and said something, and I could feel myself following them. I couldn't focus on anything, and I couldn't control myself. My vision turned black, I stopped feeling; I couldn't do anything.

TidusxYuna Always


	24. Ransom of Death

24 Ransom of Death

I watched the Ronso speaking nonsense about some horn-molt or something. I had no idea what was going on. Suddenly Kimahri let out a roar and punched one of the two Ronso, knocking him out. I was surprised and completely caught off guard. The other Ronso punched Kimahri in the jaw; the barkeep shouted for them to take it outside.

I glanced in all directions for Yuna, jumping out of their way as they plowed through the diner. I didn't see her anywhere. I went around the corner, hoping to high heaven that she was here. She wasn't. Remembering how famous she was, I began to feel nervous about her safety. I went outside an looked around. Again, I couldn't find her. I called to Kimahri. "Yuna's gone!"

He turned from his attacker, and that was his big mistake. The other Ronso saw his chance and took advantage it. He hit Kimahri hard on the side of his neck, instantly knocking him out. I now had a choice. Find Yuna, or try to defend Kimahri against this huge Ronso. There was no contest. I ran away yelling, "YUUUUNAAA! YUUNA!" The farther I ran, the more panicky I felt. I knew she wouldn't have left the diner without us, something must have gone wrong.

I could only imagine what. After several minutes, Lulu ran up to me. "What happened?!" She growled. She didn't wait for an answer. "Yuna has been kidnapped by the Al Bhed Physches!" "What?!" I practically screamed. "In exchange for her safe return, they want the Aurochs to lose in the tournament tomorrow." I was astonished, at a loss for words. Lulu went on. "If they're only blitzball players, I doubt they'd do anything drastic," I cut her off. "Let's go get her! Where's the Al Bhed locker?"

She seemed irritated by my interruption, but shook her head. "No. She won't be in the locker. They wouldn't bring her somewhere so easily accessible." I thought hard. "Where would she be?" There was a long silence as we both racked our brains. "Where's Kimahri?" She asked as she began to walk in the general direction of the locker rooms. "He got knocked out by some giant Ronso." I said almost casually. She looked alarmed at this, but only walked faster. "We'll have to find her with Wakka. Kimahri comes after Yuna."

After thinking the entire way to the Auroch's locker, I had a thought that just seemed to come out of nowhere."The ship!" I yelled. "She's probably on the Al Bhed ship!" Lulu barely acknowledged that I had spoken. We burst into the locker room as I exclaimed, "Yuna's been kidnapped by the Al Bhed Phsyches!" "Wha?!" Wakka's jaw dropped. "Come! We are going to look on their ship."

Lulu commanded, Wakka followed. We took off running to the docks. It took about half an hour to find the ship. Once we did, Wakka and Lulu had to catch their breaths. I had no problem, I could run for almost two hours before getting out of breath. The ship started to move away from the docks, and I shouted, "Let's go!" I ran recklessly towards the ship, diving on.

I grabbed Wakka's wrist, who grabbed Lulu's. We worked together to all get on. I grabbed Chappu's sword out of the air, turning around just in time to see an Al Bhed with a gun. "Duck!" I shouted, diving to the ground. Several shots rung out before I reached him. I felt sick as I killed him with my sword. I fought back nausea as two more appeared from inside the cabin. I begged no one in particular not to make me kill them. I raised my sword to attack, but I got a queasy feeling that something was wrong.

A blitzball struck one of the Al Bhed, electric sparks flying from his body. He died instantly, and I heard a scream of pain come from behind me. The second Al Bhed fell just as quickly by Lulu's lightning. A machina gun rose out of the ship, and began to shoot electric shocks around the deck.

It didn't seem to be controlled by anyone, as it shot completely at random. I felt myself going faint, I looked down and saw blood flowing freely from the base of my shoulder. As I passed out, Wakka and Lulu somehow vanquished the machina, and rescued Yuna. When I woke up, she was slumped over me, and the pain in my shoulder was gone.

I sat up feeling awkward, and Lulu pulled her off of me. "What happened?" I asked. Yuna shook her head slightly, blinking her eyes as if to clear a bad dream. "We need to go…um, go get Kimahri." She was struggling to remain sitting upright. I stood, feeling strength flowing back into my limbs. I inspected my shoulder to find it completely healed; Even the bullet hole in my vest was completely gone.

I looked and saw that we were several hundred yards from the dock. An incredibly easy swim for me, but I knew Yuna would never make it, and I had no idea if Lulu could swim. "I'm gonna try to get this ship turned around." I stated as I walked into the cabin. There was a metal wheel in the middle of a huge control panel with dozens of buttons and switches and blinking lights. I decided that since the ship was still moving at a fairly slow pace, I could just turn it around with the wheel, without messing with the control panel.

It took about seven minutes to get back to the dock. Once we arrived I went out and the button on the role of chain which was connected to the ramp. Conveniently, it began to unroll. Inconveniently, it was going very slowly. I went back over to the group. Yuna was still seated, but she appeared stronger, so I took hand and slowly helped her to her feet. When I tried to let go, she clenched onto my hand, wobbling back and forth as if she had never stood before. "Do ya need ta be carried, Yuna?"

Wakka offered to the poor girl. She nodded weakly, her face downcast as if she felt guilty. It confused me, but I chose to ignore it. Wakka gently lifted her into his arms and took her down the lowered ramp. Lulu and I followed. Once safely on the docks, I turned to them. "I know where he is, so I'll lead." "Okay, lead on Brudda." Wakka said, glancing at Lulu. She didn't look happy about the plan, but then again, she never looked happy.

I took them through the city, now thankful for my innate sense of direction, making it easy to navigate the city even though I had only been there once. We arrived back at the pub, and I was momentarily surprised to see Kimahri was no longer there. Then I realized that it would be kind of absurd for the hundreds of people who passed by since he fell here to simply ignore the Ronso lying unconscious in the middle of the street.

I called to a young man about my age who was walking by. "Hey! Do you know where they take injured people?" The guy gave me a glance and passed by without saying a thing. I then asked the same thing to a middle aged lady. She looked at me kindly and pointed to a building nearby only marked by a strange symbol. "Try that building. May Yevon be with you." She then went on. "Thank you!" I called after her, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.

I motioned to the others as I pushed through the throng to reach the building. It was warm and pretty dark in the small room. My eyes took several seconds to adjust, and then I saw the room consisted of several cots, one of which Kimahri lay on, and a few chairs. A young woman dressed in a modest robe sat beside Kimahri, who was still either unconscious or asleep. The woman rose when we entered. She said nothing, she just swept her hand towards Kimahri with a questioning expression.

"Wakka, I think I'm strong enough to stand now." Yuna whispered. He put her down and steadied her. She walked over to Kimahri, Wakka following her and helping her to stay up. She knelt by the Ronso, who was hanging halfway off of the cot that was hardly large enough to hold him up. She put and hand on his forehead and bowed her head in prayer. Her head jerked and she yelped, but then Kimahri bolted upright.

He looked around and scrutinized Yuna. She didn't look any weaker from her waking him up. Kimahri quietly snorted at her, I guess that was his way of saying thanks. "Shall we leave?" Lulu asked. "Yes." Yuna said, pushing herself to her feet. "Um, I don't think that I can walk all the way back…" Kimahri responded by quickly picking her up. She looked tiny and almost frail next to his large frame. I wondered how such a beautiful delicate young woman could defeat the monster that killed millions.

Once we arrived back at the locker rooms, we all rested while the Aurochs went out to bring us some food. While we waited for them, Yuna told us what had happened. As she described her kidnapping, I felt my cheeks grow very hot in shame, I knew that my face must be a dark shade of crimson. I felt angry at myself for my irresponsibility, knowing that that small slip could have caused her death.

Yuna described the awful feeling she got when they injected her with the strange drug. "After everything went black, I don't remember anything until I woke up curled tightly in a tiny compartment. I still couldn't see anything and I could hardly move. After several minutes, I heard gunshots and felt the slight buzz of electricity moving through the ship."

I started praying, hoping that it was you coming to rescue me. It turned out that it was…and, here we are." Just then, the Aurochs got back with some delicious stew and bread that tasted a little like the cornbread my neighbor used to make for me, after Mother died…

We rested for a couple hours, but as usual, I wasn't as tired as the Spirans. I couldn't figure out what it was with them and sleeping excessively. Yuna didn't seem to have that problem, though, as she was just as awake the whole time as I was. I decided it would be fun to sneak out and hang around the lockers.

I'd keep a sharp eye out for trouble, though. I got up and silently walked to the door. I opened it as quietly as possible. As I left the room and turned to closed the door, I jumped when I saw Yuna standing there, a small smile playing across her lips. I stepped back to let her out, and closed the door. We danced gleefully down the hall, but we where caught by that dirt bag of a team; the Goers.

"My, my, my! What children you are!" said the dark haired woman. Her team mates laughed, and the other girl jeered, "And you, m'lady! What is a summoner doing with this idiot?" I clenched my fists in anger. "Don't call him that!" Yuna's voice carried more than a hint of anger. Another of the Goers laughed, "But he IS an idiot. He thinks the Aurochs are gonna win!"

The Goers broke out in scoffing laughter. "Well they will, now that I'm here!" I growled, trying to stop myself from punching them. "Yes, they will win!" Yuna chimed in. "He is the star player of the Zanarkand Abes!"

I could hardly believe what I was saying to them, but I was too angry to make sense of it, I just blurted out what I wanted to say. The red haired leader laughed along with his cronies. "Yeah, as if anyone lived in those ruins!" Again, I let my heart take over my words. "It's not ruins! There's a big city there!" The Goers stared at me in disbelief. Tidus tried to make excuses for my display. "Um, I got too close to sin and-" I interrupted him, not wanting him to have to make excuses for my actions.

"There is a city, really!" I turn my back on them, signifying the end of the conversation. They snickered. "Whatever you ladyship says." One of them mocked. They then walked off, leaving Tidus and me alone, our fun completely ruined. I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall, irritation written on my face. Tidus was no more happy. "I believe your Zanarkand exists! I don't care what they say."

He smiled a bit before his face turned bitter. He looked down the hall to where the Goers had disappeared. "Putting people down. They're as bad as my old man!" I looked up, surprised. "But, Sir Jecht was a kind and gentle man!" Tidus looked down, crossing his arms. "Not my Jecht." We stood in silence for several moments. "I-Maybe we should go back." I said. I knew there was no way we where going to be able to have any fun now. "Yeah." He mumbled. We snuck back into the locker and laid there until we eventually fell asleep.

TidusxYuna Always


	25. I Promise

25 I Promise

Excitement danced in my chest. I was actually able to be distracted from the rest of life-death, for the time being. It wasn't because of simply being about to watch a live, professional blitz game, it was because of who was going to perform in it: Tidus. I could hardly wait to see a real Zanarkand player perform.

He swam out to Wakka's left, and the game began. In the first minute, Tidus scored a goal, but the Goers clearly became angry and aggressive. When they got the ball, a vicious shot was made to Wakka's midsection. "OH! He'll feel that one in the morning!" The announcers annoying voice blasted through the loudspeaker as Wakka keeled forward clutching his ribcage. He drew in a painful breath, sucking in the sphere pool's water.

The game kept going, however; blitzball can become a brutal sport. Tidus was close to Wakka, and he grabbed the suffocating man and pulled him to the exit. The other Aurochs were distracted; about to abandon the game to follow. Tidus waved his hand back at them in a motion that meant to stay in.

I rose and ran to the locker rooms to help Wakka, but a security guard stopped me. "I'm going to have to ask you to stop, M'lady." "But my friend's hurt!" I pleaded, but he stood firm. "M'lady, no one is permitted to pass in or out of the locker rooms until the end of the game. Not even Summoners." "But-" I began again, but he broke in. "M'lady, players get hurt all the time. I'm sure your friend will be fine. If you continue to try to get in, I will call more security and we will lock you up until the end of the game."

I turned my eyes downward before spinning on my heel and going back to my seat between Lulu and Kimahri. I waited anxiously for Wakka or Tidus' reappearance, barely noticing the game underway. They didn't show the entire game, and the Aurochs lost miserably; 9 to 1. As soon as the end whistle blew, I got up and ran through the crowd to the locker rooms.

The guard let me pass, and I entered room zero. Wakka was lying on a soaking wet bench, Tidus was in the process of wrapping up his ribcage with a roll of brown cloth. Wakka was heaving and coughing, and cringing in pain from the pressure on his ribs. Tidus turned his head when I opened the door, his eyes lighting up. "Yuna! Good, can you heal him? He has two cracked ribs, and he can barely breathe." "Yes." I went over to him and placed my hands over his ribcage. I prayed, but it wasn't working.

I continued asking for healing, but Yevon didn't answer. I became fearful that for some reason Yevon had become angry with me, but at that moment, a sharp pain seized my upper body. It left me instantly, and Wakka let out a breath of relief before gasping in another. I smiled in solace, know that Yevon had not disowned me.

Lulu and Kimahri burst in, both relaxing as they saw the three of us there, well and alive. Wakka smiled pathetically at Lulu, and then the Aurochs meandered in with downcast expressions, towels hanging off their shoulders. "We lost." Datto muttered as he plopped down next to the now healed Wakka. Botta hung his head dejectedly. "One to nine…" Wakka made a face and cursed under his breath, something about the Al Bhed.

"The next game'll be start'n soon. We might as well watch. Wanna see the address of the Grand Maester at the end." Wakka stood and brushed off the failure. "But, boys, before that, I gotta talk to ya." Tidus, Lulu, Kimahri and I all left the room, letting Wakka have some time with his team, soon to be ex-team. We went back to the stands and sat down, the game just starting. Tidus looked at me perplexed. "Yuna, what's so bad about the Al Bhed?"

I took a second to formulate my answer. "Um, I guess that because they use the forbidden machina, many believe that they are the reason Sin keeps coming back, but…I don't know if that's right…I hope it's not." He looked down at his hands. "Oh…well, there were these Al Bhed that saved my life when I first came to Spira. They took me on their ship, even gave me food. I think they're um…well, gone."

I was pretty sure he meant dead. "What happened?" He tilted his head slightly to the side, as if contemplating the event. "Sin came up near our ship. Somehow I made it out okay, but, I don't know what happened to them…" A worried curiosity arose in me. "Was-was there anyone called Cid on that ship?" He shook his head slightly. "I don't know. They were all speaking that Al Bhed language…" There was a short silence between us, though there was a deafening roar through the crowd as they cheered for something happening in the game.

"So, who's Cid?" Tidus' tone was almost wary. "He's my uncle, but I've never actually met him." After about a second, understanding and surprise registered on his face. "Oh…wait. You're Al Bhed?" It was my turn to stare at my hands. "On my mother's side, yes. Cid is my mother's brother. He became distant after my mother married. But, she told me to seek him out if I ever needed help." Tidus nodded slowly. "You're worried he was…?"

The question didn't need to be finished. I hadn't realized that Lulu had been listening to the conversation. "Don't tell Wakka about Yuna's lineage." She commanded him with a threatening air in her voice. We sat disinterestedly for the rest of the game, unable to think of anything else to say. The Goers won, no surprise there. Just as the game ended, suddenly dozens of fiends materialized all over the stadium, Sahigins attacking the blitzers still in the sphere pool.

Thousands of people were running for their lives, trampling each other, being attacked and mauled by the attacking fiends. I wanted to summon, but I had to keep moving to avoid being killed. Lulu shot different elements at fiends, but she once missed and struck a person. Tidus traveled in front of me, brandishing his sword.

If it hadn't been for him, I probably would have been killed beneath the feet of the fleeing people. Suddenly, a roar erupted from the high balcony directly below it floated a monstrous aeon. It was indescribable. It had huge teeth, scales, and wings. Its arms were crossed over its chest, and chains bound its entire body.

Maester Seymour stood in the balcony above it, arms outstretched. The Aeon shrieked and its body quaked as the fiends burst into swarms of pyreflies. It only took a few seconds for all of them to disintegrate. When people realized that there was no more threat, they began to help each other.

I saw a man in a red cloak walking away from the scene. I instantly recognized him as my father's guardian, Auron. "Sir Auron!" I exclaimed, while at the same time, Tidus shouted in astonishment, "Auron!" Sir Auron didn't stop, he didn't even glance our way. I shouted over the din at Tidus. "Can you follow him? I need to help these people!" He nodded, and ran off through the crowed after the man in red. I spent the next hour healing the wounded with Lulu and Kimahri protecting me.

I pushed through the clustered people, questions plagued my mind. I knew Auron should be able to answer them. Why am I here? How did I get here? How do I get home? Then, I wondered if I really would go home, if I could. I found that in the short time I had been here, I had grown to almost…love Spira in a strange way…at least, I pitied them enough to want to help.

And, I had to admit, I had already grown rather fond of Yuna. But as I got closer to Auron, anger filled my mind. Everything was fine back in Zanarkand! How could he do this to me? I chased Auron down, and caught up to him easily once we got out of the crowd. We arrived at the dock right outside the blitz stadium, and that's when I just about exploded.

"All of this is your fault!" I shouted, not even sure what I was saying. "Gettin' swallowed by Sin! Not being able to get back to Zanarkand! The times I almost died! Everything! Everything! I'm telling you, it's all your fault!" He just chuckled like an idiot. My anger was gone, my rant was finished. Only questions remained. "Who are you, anyway? You knew my old man, didn't you?"

He turned his face away from me. "Yeah." I stared until I felt I could bore a whole through his back. "And…you also knew Yuna's father…?" He gave a slight nod. "That is correct." I shook my head back and forth, unbelieving. "There is no way! This is impossible!" In his calm, agitating way, he replied, "Nothing is impossible about it. Jecht, Braska and I, together we defeated Sin ten years ago. Then I went to Zanarkand…where I watched over you. So that one day I could bring you to Spira."

I looked down, squeezing my fists. "Why did it have to be me?" He was silent for a brief moment. "Jecht asked me to." Come to think of it, that was a rather obvious answer. That old man always wanted to make my life miserable. I figured getting angry would only make Auron laugh again, so I tried to control myself.

"Is he alive?" Auron turned to face me, looking straight at me. "It depends on what you mean by 'alive.' He is no longer human. But then…I felt something of Jecht there in that shell, couldn't you? You must have felt him when you came in contact with Sin." I hated to admit it, but I had heard his voice. I still didn't want it to be true. "It can't be…" Auron's expression hardened. "It is. Sin is Jecht."

My mind was spinning in all directions; my life was just getting crazier and crazier. "No!" I yelled right in his face. "That's ridiculous! No way! I don't believe you!" Auron brushed my off and began to walk away. "But it is the truth. You'll see for yourself. Come with me." I didn't want to see it, I wanted to run from the truth, but deep inside, I knew I couldn't. "And if I say no?" I challenged. "Come or don't come. It's your decision." His voice was angeringly indifferent.

"What am I supposed to say?" I shouted after him. "You tell me it's my decision, but I don't have a choice, do I? You're the only one who can tell me what's going on anyways! I have to go with you!" Auron kept walking. "Irritating, I know. Or are you afraid?" It was true, I was very afraid, but I wasn't about to tell Auron that. I just wanted him to give me answers. "Auron…Will I ever go home? Back to Zanarkand?" Auron began to blend into the crowd. "That's up to Jecht." Then I knew I would never go back home. It hit me like a wrecking ball.

My eyes stung, I couldn't handle this new life I'd been tossed into. My face twisted in anger and sorrow, but I knew I couldn't do anything now but go with Yuna. Being with her was the only way I could stay sane in this completely insane world. I knew she was going to some highroad, Wakka told me that Summoners and guardians traveling on the highroads were not allowed to speak the whole time.

He said it took weeks to travel a highroad. Sounds miserable, but I couldn't just stay here. I could join a blitz team, but blitz was beginning to seem rather meaningless. So, I turned to a young woman. "Hey, do you know how I can get to the highroad?" She smiled and swept her hair out of her face, a tiny giggle escaping her mouth. "Y-yes! It's just up there the staircase behind the blitz stadium, at the edge of the city." She pointed me in the right direction. "Thanks." I did the prayer gesture, the victory sign in Zanarkand.

I didn't feel victorious at all, though. I rushed through the crowd, hoping that I wouldn't miss them. Sadness at all that had happened and was happening was tugging at my chest, but I didn't have time to revel in my sorrow. When I reached the stairs, I was surprised to see Auron right at their foot. "Come. I'm going to offer my services to Yuna."

I wasn't sure whether to be glad or annoyed that I would have to travel the entire journey with this man, but it seemed that I had no choice.

I was speaking with my guardians, wondering if Tidus had decided to stay back in Luca because of Sir Auron. The idea of it was greatly disappointing, Tidus was the only person who could make me feel even a little happy. He made me smile, thinking of Zanarkand. I was about to go back down to Luca and search for him, also so that I could maybe talk to Sir Auron.

I didn't have to go find them, though. Just as I was about to leave, I saw Sir Auron approaching us, Tidus meandering behind him. Wakka let out an awed, "Whoa…" and I was so surprised, the only thing I could think to say was, "Sir Auron?" He nodded curtly. "Yuna. I wish to become your guardian. Do you accept?" "You serious?" Wakka half-stammered. Auron's eyes half closed. "You refuse?" I jumped in before he left. "No, no! I accept! Right, everyone?"

"Yes!" Wakka said in reverent enthusiasm. Lulu was not so impressed. "But…why?" She asked the man. "I promised Braska." A bitter-sweet feeling rose in me. My father knew I would do this. I bowed. "Thank you, Sir Auron." He didn't bother saying 'You're welcome.' All this time, Tidus. Had been standing behind Auron, his head hanging, face sorrowful. Auron grabbed his arm and pulled him to the center of the group. "And, he comes too." Tidus hardly even looked up.

"This one I promised Jecht." His statement presented the opportunity for my burning question. "Is Sir Jecht alive?" Auron didn't seem like he cared in the slightest. "Can't say. Haven't seen him in ten years." He said indifferently. He proceeded to ignore me, and I said to the air, "I...see..." Tidus looked at me sadly. "Hey, come with me." He followed me to the edge of the huge stone balcony overlooking Luca. "Watch!"

I did my best at the whistle, which I had practiced all morning while the blitzers warmed up for the game. "You got pretty good." He said dolefully. "You seem sad." I stated the obvious, hoping he would explain. He offered me nothing but, "Yeah, maybe." I remembered Lulu telling me about his display at the Kilika temple. "Wanna scream?" I asked sympathetically. "I really don't think that's gonna help this time." He mumbled. T

here was a quiet moment, both of us thinking of the sorrows of life. "You know what?" I said softly. "It's embarrassing to say this myself... But summoners and their guardians are kind of like Spira's ray of light. A lot of people in Spira depend on us. I learned to...practice smiling when I'm sad...I know it's hard, but..." I left off, not knowing what to say after that.

"Yeah... I understand...I think." he dejectedly kicked at a pebble. " "Right, now, try it!" I smiled up at him, trying to be enthusiastic. "Huh?" He looked at me confusedly. "Come on!" He relented, trying to forced his face into a grin. He ended up pinching his cheeks to make something resembling one. He let go, obviously wanting to end this. "This is weird!" He whined.

"Next, try laughing out loud!" I wasn't done, though. "What?" He asked incredulously. "Come on, show me!" I wasn't going to let him back out. He took a good long moment to just stare at my face before yielding again. He belted about a hefty, albeit cheesy bout of laughter. He took in a second breath and let out another string of laughs.

I began to realize that my other guardians probably noticed, and who knows what they're thinking. "You probably shouldn't laugh anymore." I said. He looked at me and smiled. An unspoken understanding passed between us, and we both sucked in deep breaths, and let them out in fake laughter. Eventually, the situation itself became so funny that both of us actually began to laugh for real, our sadness was temporarily eased.

Once our sides hurt, we eventually ran out of laughs, and stopped to look at each other. "Um...thank you. I want my journey to be full of laughter." I told him sincerely. He nodded. "Okay." I looked out over the city of Luca. "If we should get separated, just whistle. I'll come running. I promise." Now we had a mutual promise. It seemed special, somehow.

We turned back to the other guardians, and all of them were staring at us. Tidus held his hands out at his sides and asked almost jokingly, "What're you looking at?" Wakka's eyebrows remained raised. "We were just worried you guys might've gone crazy!" I shook my head and smiled. Then I looked at Tidus, remembering a very important detail. "Oh, and um, we are about to go onto a highroad. When on a pilgrimage, Summoners and their guardians are not allowed to speak at all. If we do, Yevon will disown us."

"Yeah, Wakka told me. Sounds weird." I covered my mouth. "Don't say that!" I looked around, hoping no one had heard him. "Don't insult Yevon!" "Sorry, sorry…" he mumbled, appearing genuinely sorry. I hoped Yevon would forgive that. I looked around at my guardians. "Well, this will be the last time we speak for weeks…does anyone have anything to say?" They all shook their heads. "Well, then. Let's go."

TidusxYuna Always


	26. Jealousy

26 Jealousy

Forty-seven days. Forty seven days without a single word uttered from anyone of us. We survived by eating the traveler's fruit that grew all along the edge of the highroad. It was juicy and thick. It was enough to satiate hunger and thirst, though after forty-seven days, it no longer tasted very good.

We slept on the ground under the stars, always with one of us keeping watch for fiends. Since Lulu couldn't speak, she was only able to use the element ice, because since it was the easiest element to summon, and she was able to do so wordlessly.

Because of having five guardians, fiends were usually easy to fight off, except for the occasional dragon fiend. For those, I was able to summon Valefor, because we were out in the open with plenty of space. The silent road was difficult, but, we survived. Tidus became an accomplished swordsman, silently training with Auron occasionally along the way.

Also, I could tell, even though no words were spoken, Lulu had begun to accept Tidus when she saw what a valuable asset he was in battle. Speed, agility and endurance were his strengths, making him a unique member of our party. When I could see the end of the highroad, Tidus and I looked at each other, both with the same idea.

We took off running, though he was practically jogging while I was sprinting. Once we reached it, I tried to shout in victory, but all that came out was a scratchy cough. We tried to talk for a several minutes while waiting for the others to get there. Tidus got it first. "That was awful." Was his simple statement. I smiled ironically, finally able to push out some words. "There's another highroad."

His countenance fell. "Ugh." There was an Al Bhed inn right near us, and right now it was looking really good. I could hardly wait to have some hot, cooked food, and to sleep on something soft. I started to approach it, but Wakka, who had just arrived grabbed my arm. He shook his head violently, a raspy sound that probably was him trying to say 'no' was emitting from his mouth.

We all stood around and waited for everyone to get their voices back. Even Lulu looked happy…somewhat. "Not an Al Bhed shop!" Wakka commanded. Auron stepped between us. "Yes, we will rest here for today and tonight. Then we will go on." "But-but! They don't believe in Yevon! And in Luca, they kidnapped Yuna!" Auron turned to Wakka and stated dryly, "Where were her guardians?" All of us drooped our heads at this. With that, Auron marched into the inn. Tidus and I followed.

The others eventually also came in. A man with shoulder length blond hair and very tan skin met us. His eyes lit up when he saw Auron, but he quickly reverted to a diplomatic air. He nodded at Auron, who nodded back. "Is this the High Summoner's daughter, Yuna?" He asked. "I am." I bowed slightly to him. "I am Rin, owner of this establishment. You may stay here m'lady, for one night at no charge, for you and your guardians." I bowed again, this time deeper. "Thank you very much, but we will pay." "No, m'lady, please, take it as a gift." I was about to say no again, but then he added, "From a friend of your father."

To this I could not refuse. Slowly, I said, "Thank you." A young Al Bhed girl led us to our rooms. Mine was large with a real bed, something I had not slept on since I was seven. It brought back such waves of nostalgia that I almost cried, but I refused myself the privilege. After sitting on the bed and pondering for a few minutes, I met the others in the cafeteria.

There we were served hot chocobo stew, sweetbread right from the oven, and some kind of fruit that I had never tasted before. It was delicious, and Tidus and I thanked the cook profusely. The others were all much less enthusiastic about anything.

Wakka barely touched his food. I pitied him for feeling so restrained by his hatred. If only he would let it go. Not all Al Bhed are bad. After the early dinner, my guardians went about their own business, while I went outside to be alone. A strong sadness had crept over me, and I knew that I needed to leave something for my guardians to remember me by, when I'm gone.

I pulled my sphere from the small pouch I wore on my belt. On it recorded my final goodbyes. As I said goodbye and thanked each one, when I finally got to Tidus, emotions swept over me, and I knew that I liked him as more than a friend.

I tried to shove away the feelings, but they were real, and they had been there since the beginning. With every day, they just grew stronger. It hurts, caring about someone so much, only to know that you have to leave them, never to see them again for all of eternity. I said none of this on my sphere, except that it hurts…I wasn't finished, but then he came up behind me.

I was surprised, but I was able to slide the sphere into my pouch before he saw it, or at least I thought so. He sat down next to me, and we both gazed at the sunset quietly for a moment, so used to being completely silent that words where hard to find.

"Yuna, what's the calm? Some other travelers where talking about it at the inn." I sighed at the thought. "The calm is a time of peace that comes after a summoner defeats Sin, and it lasts until sin is reborn." "Ooooh!" His statement was elongated from his sudden understanding. "I thought it was weird…since your Dad defeated Sin ten years ago…right? Where is your Dad, Yuna?"

I pressed my lips together to keep my sorrow at bay. "He-he died…" His head hung. "Oh. I'm sorry." There was a long silence, several minutes long before he asked, "So…if Sin just comes back, is it really-" I interrupted him, knowing what he was about to say. "Don't say it isn't worth it. Because…it is. A time when people can sleep in their beds without being afraid. That kind of time is worth anything…I wish I could live in a time like that…peaceful…with a smile on my face every day."

He looked over at me, slightly confused. "You can, once you beat Sin, right?" I avoided his question, addressing the problem instead of answering it. "But then a new Sin will be born anyway." He half smiled. "Well then, you can just beat it again." I looked down at my hands folded in my lap. "I wish I could." He just didn't understand. "Hey, you can! Trust me, you are the best summoner out there!"

I didn't answer, so he asked, "Why does Sin always come back?" I repeated the lesson that I had been taught since before I could remember. Sin is our punishment for our vanity. It will not go away permanently until we've atoned." "How do we do that? Stop using machina? What's so bad about using machina, anyway?" His questions brought me confusion. "It's funny…ever since I was young, I never questioned it. But now that you ask me if it is that bad or not…I don't know. There are so many things I don't know." "Well, we're the same, then." He said thoughtfully.

Then he added with a more playful air, and in an attempted imitation of an elderly man, "Such thinking and questioning is very unbecoming of a Summoner!" He grinned at me. "Sound like Mica?" I was ashamed of him for being so disrespectful, and I hoped Yevon would forgive it, but I could not help laughing. Somehow he was able to make something funny out of such solemn situations. "That's not very nice, you know!" I told him. He just smirked.

He laid back to look up at the sky, resting his head in his hands. "You know, during a game, you have to think of blitz and nothing else. You can't think about that party you're going to after you win, or what would happen if you lose…not that I ever lost, but that's beside the point. If you do think about other things, that's when you lose. So, uh, what I mean is, you really shouldn't worry about what happens after you win. Just think about beating Sin the first time. After we beat it, that's when you can worry about the future."

I tilted my head away from him, hoping he wouldn't see the pained expression on my face. I had no future. "I guess…" I said, trying not to let my emotions show in my voice. "But, how are you supposed to beat Sin? It's so…gigantic." "The final summoning." I replied. "It's the only way to defeat Sin. With it, I will call the Final Aeon. That's the goal of the pilgrimage. The Fayth of the Final Summoning lies waiting in the far north, to greet summoners who complete their pilgrimage. At the world's edge…in Zanarkand."

He looked at me, breathless for the moment. I was about to explain, but Auron broke in, apparently he had been listening in from behind us. "She means the ruins of a city destroyed a thousand years ago. His countenance fell. "You're sure it's ruins?" "That's what they say." I replied. I found that I actually believed him more than the teachings…at least, I wanted him to be right. "Who's they?" He asked.

I was about to answer, but Auron interrupted again. "You'll see Zanarkand for yourself soon enough. Yuna come back inside." I followed Auron, only turning back to smile sympathetically at Tidus. I could only imagine how much he must miss his home, everything he had ever known.

The next morning, we rose, ate, and stocked up on a few supplies. We were about to leave when the young Al Bhed girl who had shown us to our rooms the night before burst in, distraught. "Help!" She called in a panic. "There's a big fiend attacking the chocobos!" Tidus turned to us. "Let's go get it!" Auron squinted at him. "Why?" "It's the right thing to do." He stated, his tone indicating that he thought Auron was stupid for not knowing this.

"It's the right thing to do?" Auron repeated Tidus and then laughed a cold, empty laugh. Tidus looked to me, mildly irritated. "What'd I say now?" "Jecht used to say that a lot." Auron said. "And every time he said it, it meant trouble for Braska and me." "We're wasting time!" Tidus burst out of the inn, brandishing his sword, ignoring Auron.

The rest of us had no choice but to follow. With the six of us and Valefor, the battle was quick and relatively easy. When we re-entered the inn to pick up our stuff, Rin and the Al Bhed girl met us. "Thank you, we are very grateful to you and your guardians, Lady Summoner." Rin smiled at us, and then went outside, presumably to check all the chocobos' wellbeing. The girl went up to Tidus, grabbed his hand and smiled up at him.

"Thank you, that was very brave!" Tidus gently pulled his hand away from her and took a step back. "You're welcome." She was obviously hitting on Tidus. From deep inside me came a strange feeling, jealousy. I had never felt it before, but I knew that it what it was when I felt it. I mentally shook it off. "Okay, we should get back on the road." I said, pasting a smile on my face.

TidusxYuna Always


	27. The Mysteries of Maesters

27 The Mysteries of Maesters

As we traveled along the Mi'ihen Road, which goes between the Highroad and Mushroom Rock Road, Tidus and I walked side by side.

After several hours, he looked sideways at me. "So, what do you do in the chamber of the fayth?" "I pray with all my heart, until the fayth wakes by Yevon's power, and bestows its aeon on me. Our spirits connect, giving me a link, so I can summon the aeon."

His eyebrows rose. "Wow…that's pretty…deep." I had never thought about it that way, it all seemed so commonplace, but the way he sees the things of my world, it's as if everything is a complete mystery. "It always seemed so unremarkable to me, but I guess you're right…"

Another several hour long silence ensued. "So, why do we walk all this way, when we could just ride those chocos...or whatever those things are called." I smiled. "Chocobos. When a summoner is on a pilgrimage, there are many laws laid out by Yevon. One is that all solid ground must be traveled on foot by the summoner and guardians." "There sure are a lot of rules…I don't like rules." He said, only half joking.

The following four days where filled with silence and small battles. On the fifth day, we were passed by a caravan of carts being pulled by dozens of chocobos each. Each cart carried a huge cage containing Sinspawn which appeared to have been sedated. I watched in utter mystification.

A young woman in traditional acolyte dress ran up to one of the leading Crusaders, heading up the caravan. "You must not do this!" The girl cried. "We'll defeat Sin any way we can!" The Crusader threw back at her angrily. "But, Yevon's teachings say-" He cut her off, marching away. "Enough!"

The girl hung her head. "I-I only meant to..." She didn't finish. I walked up to her and gently asked, "Are you alright? What's going on?" We exchanged prayer gestures, and she asked wonderingly, "Lady Summoner?" I gave her a kind smile. "Yes, I am Yuna."

She bowed again, deeper this time. "It is an honor, my lady. My name is Shelinda. I am a disciple of Yevon." Wakka stepped in. "What was that all about? What are the Crusaders up to?"

Shelinda's face was downcast. "I heard they were to use forbidden machina! I had to stop them." Auron stepped forward menacingly. "Let them use whatever they want." He growled. "They still won't defeat Sin."

I frowned, thinking that Auron's hostility was unfounded. The girl didn't seem intimidated, though, being too focused on her mission. "But, it's not about defeating Sin! The teachings of Yevon must be upheld!" she cried. "Yeah! Right!" Wakka shouted, his extreme devotion to the teachings showing on his face.

"But you don't understand! The Crusaders won't even listen to me." Shelinda hung her head. "And it's all because I'm just a lowly acolyte." I felt sympathetic to her, knowing what it was like to feel lowly. Even though I'm a summoner, I am the youngest ever, and I know a lot of people have their doubts about me.

"Don't say that. I haven't been a summoner for very long myself, and I am young; Still, I can't put myself down every time I fail. People are depending on me. They're depending on both of us!" I hoped my words might encourage her.

Her face brightened. "Yes! Yes, you're right, my lady. Absolutely right! Thank you so much, Lady Yuna! Now, I feel I have the courage to finish my training." She climbed onto her chocobo, waved, and galloped off.

I rested my chin on my fist. "They're using machina and Sinspawn to try to defeat Sin." I stated what we already knew, trying to figure out what was going on. I began walking again, and my guardians followed, Wakka and Lulu talking amongst themselves.

"So, if they use machina, that's supposedly wrong, right?" Tidus grimaced. "We used tons of machina in Zanarkand." "Yes, it is forbidden by the Yevon priesthood, and if it is used, they say Sin will be more likely to come back." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but it sounds stupid to me." I didn't know how to answer such a blunt statement, so I didn't.

In the afternoon of the next day, we arrived at the entrance to Mushroom Rock road. The underpass was guarded by a number of stern looking Crusaders. Another huge cart containing a Sinspawn sat outside the gate. One of the Crusaders stood in front of the chocobos pulling it spoke. "This is the last of them." One of the posted guards saluted him. "Good to have you with us. Go on through!"

We tried to follow, but the Crusader stepped in front of us, uncertainly. "I'm sorry m'lady. I can't let you pass." I had to calm myself and quietly think, trying to find a good answer. "I am a Summoner. I must get through to defeat Sin." His face was apologetic, but still stern.

"What?" They didn't tell you? We're bringing in Sinspawn, since they inevitably draw Sin. We're going to lure it into a trap." My jaw dropped. How could these people think that they could possibly trap Sin, the monster that ravaged without mercy? "Please-" I began.

"Lady Yuna." I turned to see the Maester Seymour dismounting a richly decorated chocobo, alongside two other mounted Guado.

Nervousness fluttered in my stomach; there was something very strange about this Maester…I was almost afraid of him. "Y-yes?" I stammered. "You look troubled. Is there anything I can do?"

His voice lacked genuine sympathy, though his words were kind enough. "Well..." I trailed off, looking at the Crusaders blocking the road. "I see." He passed me by, approaching the Crusaders in a rather menacing way.

"Maester Seymour. Let me show you to the command center." The Crusader bowed. "Hold. I have a request." The Maester spoke. "Yes, Your Grace?" The crusader said, unsure. "I want to have Summoner Yuna and her guardians let through to the command center." "But, Maester Seymour, sir-" "Do not worry. I will take full responsibility." Maester Seymour interrupted the Crusader. He bowed to the Maester and swept his hand to the entrance.

"Very well." He said, defeated. "They may pass." "It is done." Maester Seymour said, looking at me again. I bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Grace." He nodded and then remounted and trotted off with his two companions. My guardians and I followed, though we were a good deal slower than their chocobos.

I had a growing fear in my chest; I knew that if they lured Sin here, everyone would be killed. "Who does he think he is?" Tidus leaned over to me a quietly whispered in disgust. I tried not to agree with him. "He's a Maester. They do whatever they want." The conversation ended there, though we exchanged looks, and I could see that he was put off by the Maester's prideful air, and also by his unwanted attention to me at the docks in Luca.

We walked for several hours, reaching the cliff on the coast, where we could see the cold, grey waters where no doubt, Sin lurked. Terrorized chills ran down my spine, but there was no way I could evade it. I just prayed that Yevon would protect everyone.

Around a bend in the road, Maester Seymour waited for us, and I jumped when I saw him. "Excuse me, Lady Yuna; I did not intend to frighten you." He nodded his head in acknowledge to my presence, but turned his attention to Auron.

"Ah, Sir Auron. It is an honor. I would be most interested in hearing what you've been doing these past ten years." Maester Seymour's voice was almost mocking, but I knew I must be misinterpreting it.

"I've got nothing to say about it." Auron said, is words tainted with acid as he walked away to sulk. Maester Seymour was certainly put off, but he took it well. "I...see." He looked from Auron to me. "Sir Auron must be a great asset as a guardian." I didn't know what to say, so I just bowed quickly. "Your Grace!"

He waved his hand dismissively. "Please, there's no need for formalities." Wakka stepped forward. "Excuse me... Maester Seymour? Why is your Lordship...presently...present here...sir?" Maester Seymour gave a small smile, clearly amused. "Please, speak as you normally would." Wakka's eyes widened a bit and he sucked in air before speaking.

"Isn't this operation against the teachings of Yevon? Aren't you gonna stop them?" Maester Seymour looked up at the cloudy sky. "It's true... I should. However... Both the Crusaders and the Al Bhed truly wish peace for Spira. This Operation Mi'ihen was born from that wish they share. Although it may be sacrilege to Yevon, their intentions are pure. And I, Seymour Guado - the person, not the Maester of Yevon... As a denizen of Spira, I wish them well in their endeavor."

Wakka still wasn't satisfied. "But, using machina... That's bad…" Seymour's expression showed that he thought the answer was extremely obvious. "Pretend you don't see them." Shock sent its waves though our group. Wakka stammered a bit before getting any words out. "Beg your pardon, but that's not something a Maester should say!" Seymour smirked. "Then, pretend I didn't say it."

My eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Y-You're kidding!" Wakka could barely speak in his astonishment. Maester Seymour just turned his chocobo and walked away, though he stayed at least twenty feet away from our party, making further conversation on the subject impossible. After exchanging bewildered glances, we continued on.

We eventually reached a vast cove where several hundred Crusaders ran around preparing a huge machina weapon with the help of a couple more hundred Al Bhed, which I could recognize by their strange outfits. A Crusader saw the Maester and called over a loud speaker which blared across the entire expanse, "All hail Maester Seymour!" the Crusader then handed the speaker to Maester Seymour.

"Brave Crusaders of Spira, protectors of all Spira. Believe in the path you have chose, let faith be your strength. I, Seymour Guado, Maester of Yevon, will bear witness to your deeds today." There was a loud shout of "SIR!" as every Crusader there saluted the Maester.

While Maester Seymour and his companions went off and surveyed the work being done, Wakka looked around at the various weapons lying about.

"Curse these...!" He vehemently kicked one of the small cannons sitting on the sand.

The move was not well thought out, and he grabbed his foot in pain, jumping around with a furious expression on his face. Tidus leaned over to me. "He really hates them, huh." "Chappu…he left the sword Wakka gave him in Besaid. He fought with an Al Bhed machina weapon instead." I explained. "I just hate these sacrilegious contraptions!" Wakka bellowed. "It won't work anyway." He growled.

I was beginning to really hate this day. "Don't say that. It might be a hopeless campaign, and it might mean defying Yevon... But the Crusaders and the Al Bhed - they're doing their best to defeat Sin. They want to rid Spira of Sin forever. And that's just what we want, too, isn't it? Isn't it?" I only hoped I was right.

"Humph! All right, all right! But I still think machina are bad news! They're forbidden for a reason!" Wakka crossed his arms and walked on, brooding. His statement made me wonder once again, for what reason were machina forbidden. Soon, we were stopped by a chocobo knight. "Lady Summoner! There you are! Maester Seymour wishes for you to join him at the command center. It is just down this road." I nodded. "Okay. We'll go." She escorted us there.

When we arrived, I was appalled to see dozens of children running about outside the center, playing with toy swords, obviously expecting to watch a great showdown between the Crusaders and Al Bhed and Sin, and that the humans would come out victorious. My fear was that they would watch much death, and probably die themselves. My eyes stung, and I clenched my fists.

A crusader from Besaid, Luzzu was standing on an outcropping, waiting for us. "Wait, Lucil. I must speak with them first." The chocobo knight, Lucil, shook her head, "But, the Maester-" "No!" Luzzu cut her off. "I absolutely must speak with them now." Lucil relented, and went away, presumably back to her post. "Sir Luzzu." I gave him my best attempt at a smile, though I was disappointed in him for participating in this action, which I knew would bring about almost certain death.

Wakka got in Luzzu's face, waving his arms and letting out an animal sound of fury. "Why are you doing this? Using machina?! Don't you know?!" He raged. Luzzu ignored his questions. Once Wakka had finished, he turned his back on Luzzu and crossed his arms over his chest. Tidus just looked on helplessly, while Kimahri and Auron remained aloof.

"Wakka. I might not get another chance to say this." It seemed for a moment as though the whole world quieted, I held my breath, not knowing what was to come. "It's about your brother." Wakka slowly turned his face still a twisted mask. Lulu's head hung, genuine sadness showing on her face. Wakka looked sick. I could understand why.

When Chappu died, his body was found mangled on the beach, unsent. His soul would forever wander Spira, homeless, alone, and angry; after he was killed as a fiend. "I'm the one who convinced him…to enlist." Wakka's face took a moment before it turned from angry to just pure, complete sorrow. He looked at Lulu, who was gazing at him, her sadness matching his, if not more. Wakka slowly approached Luzzu, who stood, waiting for the inevitable.

After a moment's hesitation, Wakka drew back and threw a vicious punch to Luzzu's jaw, sending him flying to the ground. He was about to continue attacking him, but Tidus grabbed Wakka, trapping his arms and pulling him away from Luzzu. "Wakka! That's enough, Wakka!" he grunted, struggling to hold the larger man. After a few seconds, Wakka calmed, allowing Tidus to release him.

Wakka looked down at Luzzu, who was pushing himself to stand. "When we used to play blitz together, Chappu, he used to say…He'd say that…when we won the Cup, ya…he'd…propose to Lulu." Wakka revealed a secret I had never heard before. I covered my mouth, knowing what a raw and painful subject this was for Lulu. She turned away, her bangs falling into her eyes.

"And one day…" Wakka continued, "he goes off and becomes a crusader. Just like that." Now standing, Luzzu replied, his words not directed at Wakka, but at Lulu. "He also said to me…that being with your girl is good…but keeping Sin far away from her is better." I saw Lulu's shoulders shake.

"All Crusaders assemble on the beach!" Someone shouted. Luzzu looked apologetically between Lulu and Wakka. "That's my cue." He began to walk away, but Lulu called out after him. "Luzzu, wait." Her voice was tinged with fury. He turned back to her squinting, obviously knowing what was coming. She gave him a hard slap across his cheek, leaving a white mark where she had struck him. "I'm sorry, Lulu." Was all he could say. Then, he turned and began to walk again.

"Luzzu…don't die out there." Wakka said, his tone showing that he had forgiven Luzzu, to some extent. Luzzu looked back over his shoulder, but didn't answer. Then, he left. We took a few moments to collect ourselves, Wakka and Lulu wiping tears, and all of us regaining our composure before we went to see the Maester.

When we went into the command center, Auron was warmly greeted by another Maester, Maester Kinoc, who had been waiting. Auron was obviously not happy at all to see this man. However, when Maester Kinoc pulled him to the side to talk, he didn't resist; though soon he stomped off away from Maester Kinoc, much like he had done to Maester Seymour.

My stomach was churning with fear, and Maester Kinoc didn't make it any better when he said, "This plan won't work, you know that. We'll just let them dream a little longer." I got sick. I leant over and hurled what little I had eaten that morning into the middle of the center. I was too angry to be embarrassed, and I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Everyone pretended that they hadn't seen it, simply because they didn't know how to react.

My guardians had various reactions to Maester Kinoc's statement, and Tidus and I glared in unison at the Maester as Tidus comfortingly put his hand on my back. I welcomed the human touch; something to keep me grounded. "Lord Kinoc..." Maester Seymour began to reprimand his fellow Maester, but there was a shout called out over the loud speakers. "Sin is coming!"

I watched the scene on the beach below us unfold as the Sinspawn broke free from their cages, energized by the presence of Sin. I saw it rising out of the sea, and I felt myself going light headed. I leaned on Tidus for support, though I soon regained my strength and was able to stand on my own. Tidus looked at me and then ran off, leaving me with my other guardians.

TidusxYuna Always


	28. Blood and Fire

28 Blood and Fire

"_Boy, listen here. You'd better do as I say or you will regret it for the rest of your pathetic existence!"_ I heard my old man's words clear as if he was standing right next to me, but I looked, and he wasn't there. It was also obvious that no one else had heard him.

"Sin's coming!" Someone called from the cove below. I looked to the sea and watched as the monster rose up out of it. _"Leave the command center, or I will kill Yuna."_ Immediately, I ran out of the tent, out onto the plateau where the children played. Just as a small girl ran by me, she burst into flames which immediately separated into burning pyreflies, shrieking and flying away. Horror gripped me.

"You demon!" I screamed over the din or the battle unfolding on the beach. _"If you're not careful, every man, woman, and child here will suffer in fire for eternity. Except for you; you will rue this day for all of your life."_ I was so furious I couldn't breathe to let loose my words of my hatred for him. Another child went up in tongues of fire, the cries of his friends filled the air. "No!" I choked, running down the pathway to the sand.

I didn't know what it meant for me to be _"careful," _But I would do anything to stop Sin from condemning these people to eternal death. I knew that if there was any chance I could avoid any more burning, I would do it. I charged through the battlefield, trying not to get caught in the crossfire. I hacked my way through a swarm of sinscales, but then I was thrown to the ground, pain ripping its way through my rib cage. I looked at my torso and saw blood. I pressed my hand hard against my ribs, realizing that I had accidentally been shot. I heard terrified shouts and looked up to see a an Al Bhed set ablaze, as the children had been.

"_Kill one Al Bhed and I will burn no more" _"No!" I howled. "Don't make me!" Another Al Bhed near by went up in flames. Tears poured down my face as I drew my sword. "I'm sorry!" I yelled as I slashed the man in half. Just feeling the sword in my hand slicing through flesh made my whole body ache. I had never done anything so sickening in my life. I killed a man who was trying to save the world.

People took notice of me, angry yelling ensued as two men grabbed my arms and threw me to the ground they shot holes in my hands so that I could not use a sword. It hurt terribly, but I wanted the pain, I deserved the pain. _"That's it, boy. You did as I said. No more will die in flames...but they will die."_

Sin was right near me, a huge bubble of electricity surrounding its body. Ran on through the battlefield, trying not to be killed by the sinscales. I found myself right next to the huge machina that was shooting a constant stream of electricity at Sin.

Suddenly, there was an ear-splitting shriek and a blinding flash of light as I was blown backwards away from the machina. On my back, I watched as the whole thing came crashing to the ground in sparks and smoke. I instantly knew that the shriek had come from Sin, Sin had destroyed the machina. My ears run from the sound, I was seeing spots. There was a crash and I looked up just in time to see a huge piece of the machina tumbling towards me.

I tried to roll out of the way, but it landed on top of me. Because of its curvature, fell on me like a shield, instead of crushing me. I heard more screams and shrieks, I heard explosions, and at some point, I my shield was thrown off of me, and I went flying into a rock and got knocked out.

When I woke, my body ached like never before. When I looked around, my pain increased, just from the horrors that before my eyes. Crushed, destroyed, mangled bodies lay everywhere, only a few people were left surviving, all of them as beat up as I was. "Curse you! I hate you! I hate you!" Tears streamed down my face as I screamed at Sin; at my old man.

"_There you go again! Crying!"_ His voice spat in my mind, as Sin disappeared into the depths of the sea. Fury gripped me, but it was soon replaced with fear…fear for Yuna. I struggled to run, forcing my throbbing body up the cliffside path.

Thousands of Sin's tentacles swarmed under the surface of the water as it approached. There was a thunderous crash as the water exploded while Sin came up out of it. My knees were knocking, my whole body shaking. Please Yevon! Don't let them die! Don't let us die! I begged, but doubt displaced any hope that might have come from praying.

As the machina weapons rang out across the cove, sending bullets into Sin's shell, from it fell thousands of sinscales, all falling into the ocean and swimming rapidly toward the sand. There, they attacked the men running about, trying to get the large machina weapon ready. I cried out in fear when I saw Tidus fighting among them. I was certain that everyone down on that beach would die, Tidus included.

Auron grabbed my arm. "Run!" He yelled. We took cover, hiding behind rocks, or even chairs and tables; anything to protect us from Sin. I could no longer see anything of the battle that was unfolding, but I heard shrieks and cries of pain and fear, the wailing of children and bright flashes of lightning, the element of thunder.

It only took a few moments until a sickening hush came over the coast. I stood up from behind my rock to see Sin hovering above the water, but I couldn't see the battlefield from where I stood. I knew they had lost, but maybe Sin had weakened. There was only one way we could possibly win this battle. I wasn't ready; I didn't want to die. But if now was time, than I would accept my fate. "Everyone, stand back! I'll summon!" My voice faltered as I called to all who were still alive around me and I began to swing my staff, asking Valefor to accept my call; to meld with me so we could defeat, or at least fight off this monster.

Lord Seymour grabbed my shoulder. "You can't!" He yelled. "But I must do something!" I cried. "You're powers are still too weak!" I looked down, and lowered my staff. I knew he was right. There was no way I could do it. The best thing I could do was stay alive to defeat Sin once I had grown stronger. Sin turned and dove back into the sea, soon disappearing into its depths.

Then, I heard an angry cry ring out. "Curse you! I hate you! I hate you!" Relief sent shivers down my spine as I recognized Tidus' voice. The relief, however did not last long; when I ran to the edge of the cliff, there lay utter destruction. Torn bodies littered the beach, the sand was coated in their blood. In the midst of it all stood Tidus, fists clenched, filthy and bloody, but alive.

He stumbled his way up the path, and I met him half way. When he saw me, the look on his face changed from tearful outrage to something that resembled joy. "I was so afraid you were dead!" He gasped . "Are you okay?" He asked, still holding his hand on his side, now freely gushing his life's blood. His face was pale and twisted in pain.

Too terrified that he could die any second, I reached out to heal him. As soon as my fingers touched his skin, agony seized my entire being. After a few moments, though the pain eased, and he was completely healed, strong once again.

He supported me as we hurried down the trail. When we reached the bottom, I went directly into the dark red water. He stepped back away from me, giving me space to dance. It was harder, because of the waves crashing over my feet, but soon I was able to manipulate the water with my staff.

When I finished, I stumbled out of the water and fell to the blood soaked sand. Only a few bodies were left on the sand; the survivors. Though my whole being quaked with no strength left, I knew I had to heal them. Tidus helped me up, and I saw my other guardians coming down the path towards us. I healed the nearest man to us, an Al Bhed, and I thought I could not do another, but I somehow saved two more.

Tidus carried me over to another, and I fell upon him, unable to pray, my vision going black. I thought I was dying. Suddenly, the man sat up, healed. I looked up at him through a hazy mist before I lost all consciousness of anything around me.

I watched as Yuna danced, tortured thoughts haunting my mind. The stench of blood and death surrounded me; it soaked my clothing, my hair, my skin. As Yuna danced on the sea's waves, I couldn't help but wonder how many died that day. People die, and Yuna dances. I longed to know when she would stop dancing. And yet I already knew the will end when Sin is finished, done, and gone. I now understood that the Final Summoning must truly be the only way to defeat Sin.

I found myself hoping that anyone who saw me kill the Al Bhed man had died in the chaos. I would never be able to explain why I had done what I did, because I didn't want anyone to know that Sin spoke to me, and especially not that Sin was my old man. I was sick.

TidusxYuna Always


	29. Crystal Light

29 Crystal Light

I woke some time later, feeling lousy. I was resting with my back against a large rock. Lord Seymour, who apparently had been watching me, spoke. "You do not look so well. But now, more than ever, you must be the people's strength, their confidence." I bowed my head, trying to hide my weakness from this man. He frightened me, though his words were true. He continued. "Anyone else would be expected to show their sorrow. But you are a summoner. You are Spira's hope. Until Sin is defeated, you must not relent. Do you understand?" I slowly nodded, though my neck was sore. "Are you afraid?" I only offered him a tiny smile in response. "Yuna, take me as your pillar of strength. As Yunalesca had her lord Zaon. Until we next meet, farewell." He ended the conversation abruptly. I felt really awkward. How could he have compared the two of us to Lady Yunalesca and her husband, Lord Zaon? I glanced at Tidus, standing across the sand speaking animatedly with Auron.

Auron said to me, "Sin is Jecht." Without letting on that I actually heard him talking to me, I remained elusive as to the entire truth. "Yeah," I said. "for a while there I could...feel him. But that doesn't mean I believe you!" Auron said something that kind of scared me. "He came here for you." I just didn't understand. "So he killed all those people just for a chance to see me?" I leaned forward, yelling while whispering at the same time. I was really, really mad. "That's what Sin does. He wanted to show that to you." Auron turned away from me, about to leave. "Why?" I asked. "So you would kill him. As long as Sin is Jecht, he will keep killing. He wants you to stop him."

My head was spinning. Why would he make me kill someone, why would he burn those children and that man? "You gotta be kidding me!" I said. There was no way that my old man would ever want someone to kill him, especially not me! "How do you know all this anyway?" I asked. Auron just laughed that dry and irritating laugh, and walked away.

"I'm not done talking to you!" I called after him. "Don't you run away!" "You're the one running." Auron retorted. That finished our unsatisfying conversation, leaving me with more questions that I had started with. Our group passed me up, journeying on the new road. "Hey, you two! Hurry up!" Yuna said as she smiled at me. Kimahri stopped while the others went on. "She's awfully cheerful." I mumbled to the silent beast.

To my astonishment, he responded, his voice deep and menacing. "In dark times, she must be. She must shine bright. Now are dark times. Yuna tries hard. If we worry, she tries harder. Do not frown." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me with a revelation. I already knew it partially, Yuna already told me that she tries to smile when she's sad. I just thought she was taking it to extremes this time. Nonetheless, I decided that I would try to help her. For Yuna, I would learn to smile.

For the rest of that day and into the evening, my mind kept playing over and over, the cries of the children, the flames, and me killing the Al Bhed. It was all like one big, bad, horrible dream, like a nightmare. I hoped it would all just go away. I thought maybe once we got to Zanarkand, it would.

"How much farther till Zanarkand?" I asked, hoping the answer was soon. "Months." Wakka replied briefly. Lulu elaborated. "First to the temple in Djose, then to Guadosalam, through the Thunder Plains to Macalania temple. From there we will travel through the Calm Lands and over Mount Gagazet. Then we will reach Zanarkand." Their answers made my hope die.

"Can't we just skip all that?" I asked, a hint of a whine in my voice. "I must get the Aeons from all five elements in order to receive the Final Aeon." Yuna said. "That's a summoner's training. She's gotta prepare mind and body, just to get ready for the Final Summoning." Wakka added. "Wow. Must be tough, Yuna..." I said thoughtfully. Then I realized something. "Five elements? I thought there were four." "Well, there are only four that people can use. But there is one Aeon, the Aeon from Bevelle, that uses the element of air." Yuna said. "Oh." That cleared it up for me.

When the others hurried on, Auron grabbed my shoulder and held me back. "What?" I asked, pushing his hand off me. After the others were out of earshot, he spoke. "Don't tell Yuna about Jecht. She might distance herself from you." I tilted my head to the side. "Even if I did say anything, no one would believe me...well except Yuna..." Anger flared up in me. "Come to think of it, did I really have to know about Jecht? What about me?" Auron smirked. "Better than you finding out at a critical moment, and becoming emotional." It was definitely a jab. I knew I was being emotional in this world, but I couldn't help it. This place is awful. So I pretended that I didn't know what he was talking about. "What? Me, emotional?" Auron smirked again as he left. "I heard you were quite the crybaby." I sighed. Leave it to Jecht to humiliate me at every given chance.

Weeks passed like mere moments. I had callouses on my feet from months of travel, and my boots were falling apart. When we finally reached the next temple, it was an awe-inspiring sight. Rocks floated around the temple in midair, held aloft by the electricity that enveloped the temple. The ground sparkled, reflecting the lightning that shot out in all directions high above. The sand that surrounded the masterpiece of a building was made from pure crystals. It was almost too beautiful to walk on.

The ground quaked beneath our feet as we passed through the sacred doors. Inside was also amazing. Ever wall, pillar, statue, and even the floor was covered in the multi-colored crystal. The torches that gave light to the cavernous room cast a blueish green light. It sent shivers down my spine. Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, and I went to pray, while Tidus and Auron remained aloof. When I was about finished, A Summoner and his guardians came out of the Trials.

He approached me. "I beg your pardon, but may I ask your name?" "I am summoner Yuna, from the isle of Besaid." "As I thought!" He said. "The daughter of Lord Braska. You have the look of your father." I smiled. "You knew him?" "No." He said. "I have never met the man." "Oh. May I ask your name?" I switched subjects. "Ah, my apologies. I am Summoner Isaaru, from Bevelle. These are my brothers, also my guardians." One was very young, and I feared he would lose his life on the pilgrimage. He looked to be about thirteen. "I'm Pacce. Pleased to meet you." He said.

A young man who had been studying the walls then introduced himself. "I'm his other guardian. Maroda." Isaaru continued on the subject of my father. "Since he became High Summoner, I have looked up to him and dreamed of becoming a High Summoner, myself. But you must have some of your father's talent in you. Perhaps we should race to see who can defeat Sin first." His challenge sounded silly, like a childish game being played. It was a race to see who could die first. I wanted to be polite, so I said, "Very well, then. I accept your challenge." He nodded. "Well then, Lady Yuna, I beg your leave. Good luck to both of us."

"Come, we will go in, now." Yuna said, beckoning to us guardians. They filed through the door, but I loitered for a moment before following them. I waited just long enough to be called by Maroda, who leaned back through the door of the temple. "Hey, you." He said. "Me?" I asked, pointing to myself. "Yeah. I heard a curious rumor. I thought you should know. I heard from some Crusaders that summoners have been going out on pilgrimage and just... could be that just fiends got them, but not so many so quickly. Sorry that I don't know more, but watch your back."

I had a little trouble registering what he said. It seemed to me that a lot of them would perish in the trials, but obviously this guy knew more about what goes on in this world then I do. I guess they keep track of who never comes out of the trials, so they know they didn't just disappear. "Well we'll be careful." I heard the young boy say to us through the door, "Watcha talkin' about?" Maroda said to him, "We're talking about doing our jobs as guardians." "Well, I'm doin' good!" Pacce said confidently. "Maroda! Pacce! We're leaving." Isaaru called them. Maroda said, "Farewell. Take care of that pretty summoner of yours." With that he left. I smiled. He was right. Yuna was pretty. I turned and ran into the trials.

I was met by an amazing sight. There were streams of electricity running down the walls and gathering in little rivers, all flowing forward under a door. Everyone was waiting for me. "Where were you?" Wakka asked. "Maroda was just telling me something." I said, brushing off the question. "Alright then. Guardians, let's do it!" Wakka said, trying to give us a pep talk. We stepped carefully around the rivulets, reaching two spheres on the far sides of the walls. It wasn't hard to figure out that the spheres went in the two divots on each of the doors leading into the next room.

When the doors slid open, there was a forcefield of lightning stretching between them, but soon it died down, and we cautiously stepped through the doorway. What greeted us on the other side was a huge room divided by more electric floors, and we were also immediately attacked by a large cat with huge whiskers. It swung those whiskers forward and they electrocuted Kimahri. It didn't seem to have hurt him too much, so everything was okay.  
>Lulu dumped water on the cat, and while it was recovering from that, I slashed at it with my sword. Wrong move . It zapped me. I hadn't stopped to think that my metal sword would transfer the cat's energy to me. It didn't hurt too much, and the cat died, so it was worth it. We looked around, trying to figure out this puzzle. There were pillars of lightning that flashed on and off at intervals, so we had to be careful not to get caught on one of those.<p>

We spent maybe half an hour dancing around the room until finally we completed the trial. We only had three small battles, and I gathered that the Djose trials were more for show that actually dangerous. When we got to the anteroom, we looked around in wonder. It was incredibly beautiful. The walls were made completely of crystal with a soft green light emanating from behind them. The floors set with tiny prisms, reflecting all the colors of the rainbow around the room.

"I am ready." Yuna said. She took a deep breath and went into the deepest chamber. It seemed like forever before she came out, and just as she left it, obviously exhausted, none other that Dona and Barthello barged in. They looked around at us, and Dona scoffed. "Well, Well. You again. Still traveling with quite the crowd I see." Barthello walked up to Auron and stared. "What is it, Barthello? You know this riffraff?" Barthello ignored her. "You are Sir Auron...no?" "What of it." Auron replied dryly. "Sir Auron, you are the reason I became a guardian! Can...I shake your hand?" Auron chuckled and extended his own hand. Barthello shook it enthusiastically. "Thank you so much, Sir. This means so much to me!" Wakka scowled at Dona. "Calling the personal guardian of Lord Braska riffraff?" Lulu broke in. "And you call yourself a summoner?" Lulu, too scoffed.

"Barthello, enough! Get over here. And you, Yuna. You owe much to your father. All these guardians, and Sir Auron, too? And I hear Maester Seymour's quite taken with you. The world must look different when you're the daughter of High Summoner Braska." Yuna was offended, and she didn't try to hide it. "This has nothing to do with my father! I am traveling on my own as a fully-fledged summoner!" "Oh, is that so? Well I've nothing left to say to you." With that, she brushed past Yuna and entered the chamber of the fayth. She leaned back out, though, before the door shut. "Oh, and thanks for solving the puzzle for us. It doesn't change back until the summoner leaves the trials, so you saved us the trouble. And also, your many guardians still won't be able to protect you when the time comes." She smirked and then went to pray. I could hardly believe the brat was a summoner. I didn't know what she meant by "when the time comes," though.

We traveled backwards and quickly reached the exit. "Well, that wasn't too hard, was it?" Yuna asked, smiling brightly at us. I smiled back at her. "Nope!" "Let's get some rest, Yuna." Lulu said calmly. There was an inn run by some nuns nearby, and we took advantage of the free room and board. The evening and night passed without incident. When I woke up the next morning I snuggled deeper into my covered and squeezed my eyes shut, hugging my pillow. I didn't want to get up.

But I did. I took a look at myself in the mirror. I had cleaned myself up the night before, so all I had to do was ruffle my hair a bit, and it went into the way it used to always look when I was in Zanarkand. I knew the girls loved it. I smiled nostalgically. That all seemed like a lifetime ago. I looked so much older. I had a few small scars on my face, and the rest of me hadn't escaped unharmed either. And my face had hardened into that of a young man who had seen much death and even killed two men.

I tore myself away from my reflection and left the inn after gulping down a quick breakfast with Wakka. When we left the inn, we found that Auron, Lulu, and Kimahri were already up and waiting. Apparently Yuna had slept late. Soon she rushed out of the inn. When she saw all of us waiting, she frantically apologized.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to sleep so long!" "Yo! Sleepyhead!" Wakka said. Lulu approached the girl. "Really, there's no rush. Here, your hair." Yuna realized that her hair was a disaster. She combed through it with her fingers. "A summoner with bed head!" What is the world comin' to?" Wakka joked. "You could have woken me up!" Yuna said. Lulu smiled. "We called to you, but with all that snoring..."

Yuna covered her mouth. "I snore?! Why is everyone picking on me?" We all laughed, even Lulu. "Once Lady Yuna fixes her hair, we leave!" Auron said. We all laughed at her again. I hadn't laughed in weeks. It was only later that I realized that I was the only one who was really laughing then. The rest were just trying to be strong for Yuna.

TidusxYuna Always


	30. Breath of Life

30 Breath of Life

Late in the afternoon the next day, we met up with the two Ronso who Kimahri had the bar fight with back in Luca. The larger bellowed, "Look! Kimahri follows summer on all fours! Hornless goatling!" "Hornless!" The smaller one echoed. Kimahri stood as tall as his frame would allow. "You come to insult Kimahri." "Wrong. We come to warn little Kimahri." The smaller one got in Kimahri's face. "Summoners disappear. Never return. Next will be Kimahri's summoner!"

The larger one laughed. "Poor Kimahri! Lost his horn, next lose his summoner! Pitiful Kimahri!" They laughed and ran away down the path. We all felt a little uncomfortable, I think, and also somewhat concerned about me disappearing. I hoped it wasn't true." "Do those two got something against you?" Tidus asked Kimahri. Kimahri shook his head. "Kimahri deal with them. Kimahri alone." "Can we help?" Tidus asked. Once again, Kimahri shook his head. "We can't interfere in Ronso affairs. It's a rule." Wakka said.

Lulu rested her head on her fist. "I'm worried. About the summoners that disappearing." Auron replied using a low, almost threatening tone. "They aren't just disappearing into thin air." Tidus brushed it off. "It's gonna be fine. As long as we guardians do our job, no problem, right?" Wakka said, "Whoa." Lulu drew her head back. "Confident." Tidus tilted his head up a bit. "Yeah!" He said, as if it was obvious. The corner of my mouth tilted up. He was definitely cocky. I liked that, even though I knew it would be difficult, when the time for him to know the truth about "the end" finally arrived. Until then, we would let his ignorance be as blissful as possible in this fallen world. No one responded to him.

Another week passed. I knew we would soon reach out next milestone when pyreflies became abundant, flying around in the open sky. "There sure are a lot of pyreflies." Tidus said. "Is that bad?" I shook my head. "It's not bad. You'll see where they come from, soon enough." At about noon the next day, we came upon a huge river, nearly a mile wide. It was a rather pretty sight. The water was very clear and near the shore where the water was calm, lilies floated. There were many pyreflies wandering around. Tidus took in a breath. "This is the Moonflow." Said Lulu. "They say that clouds of millions of pyreflies gather here when night falls." Wakka sounded a bit in awed at the thought. I added, "The entire river glows like a sea of stars. I've seen it. It's really beautiful."

A large smile grew on Tidus' face. "Hey, I got an idea!" Auron cut him off. "We're not waiting until nightfall." Tidus' smile dropped off his face and he pouted. Then he brightened again. "Well then, once we beat Sin, we're coming back!" Everyone grew somber. Tidus looked around. "Did...I say something wrong?" Lulu shook her head. "Let's just get going." Tidus gave me a confused glance, and all I could give him was a forced smile. "Yeah. We need to get to the shoopuf." Wakka stated. "Shoopuf? Is that some kind of boat?" Tidus asked, moving on to the next subject without realizing the pain he had brought up.

Wakka pointed ahead. "Whoa..." A shoopuf is an absolutely massive creature with a body like the elephants that were said to live in the more dry part of the Calm Lands. On top of the shoopuf was strapped a cabin for passengers. "Let's ride!" Tidus said enthusiastically. "Well, first, we will stock up on supplies." Auron said, approaching the nearby shop. Tidus followed Auron.

Auron looked back at me. "Ten years ago," I interrupted. "A history lesson?" I complained. Auron ignore me. "Jecht saw his first shoopuf here, like you. He was startled, so he drew his blade and struck it." Why?" I said degradingly. "He was drunk. Thought it was a fiend."

I thought back to all those drunken nights I had to put up with. "Oh, brother." I grumbled. "We offered all the money we had as an apology. Jecht never drank again." I smirked disparagingly. "Figures it would take something like that to get him to quit. Losing all his money. He did always love money." With that, I left Auron to his shopping, and went over to Yuna.

Yuna smiled. "I haven't ridden a shoopuf in so long!" She said happily. "So you've been on one of these?" I asked. "Yes, ten years ago with Kimarhi when he was taking me to Besaid. Remember Kimahri?" Kimahri scowled. "Shoopuf shook, Yuna fall in water. Shoopuf scoop up Yuna with long nose. Yuna jump in three more times for fun. Kimahri worried." Yuna giggled at Kimahri's annoyance. "Sorry, Kimahri." Kimahri gave a tiny attempt at a smile. "Yuna had fun, so Kimahri happy." Yuna said, "I lived in Bevelle until my father defeated Sin. I moved to Besaid with Kimahri after that." "Where is Bevelle?" I asked.

"Bevelle is the biggest city in Spira. The main temple of Yevon is there, as well as the strongest known aeon. Anyway, come on! Let's get on the shoopuf!" Yuna walked off, but Kimahri stopped me. "Biran is troublemaker, but Ronso not lie. Summoner's disappearing, that was not lie." He said gravely.

Lulu and Auron finished their shopping, so we boarded the shoopuf. Yuna was actually excited. Some of that rubbed off on me, and I couldn't help but smile. Weeks had passed since Operation Mi'ihen, and the emotional pain had begun to subside, but I still had nightmares about killing the Al Bhed.

I tried though to enjoy the journey as much as I could. Being with Yuna made it a lot easier.

I had to admit that I was growing really close to her. I really enjoyed talking with her. She was such a strong girl. She really liked that I was a blitzer from Zanarkand, but she was the first girl my age that I had ever met in my life, who didn't swoon over me. Literally. I didn't get a girlfriend back in Zanarkand cause not one girl liked me for who I was, just for what I was, or the way I looked. I smirked to myself. Those girls had made it very, very clear to me that I was anything but hard on the eyes.

We all reclined in the comfortable open air cabin on top of the huge beast. There was a long couch-like bench that went all the way around the cabin, so all of us had room to sit. After we were a ways out into the river, Wakka said to me, "Hey. Take a look in the water." I turned around and gazed into it. I was surprised to see a ruinous city beneath us. "Whoa! A sunken city." "Yeah. A machina city. A thousand years old. They built the city on top of bridges across the river." Wakka said. Lulu broke in. "The weight of the city caused the bridges to collapse, and it all sank to the bottom." "Right. It's a good lesson." Wakka added. I was confused.

"How is it a lesson?" "Why build a city over a river?" Wakka questioned with a bit of scorn in his voice. I fumbled for an answer. "Um...well, it would be convenient with all the water there." Wakka shook his head. "Nope. That's not why. They just wanted to prove that they could defy the laws of nature." I didn't understand such logic. "Uh...I'm not so sure about that..."

"Yevon has taught us. When humans have power, they seek to use it. If you don't stop them, they go too far." Lulu explained to me. I was still confused. I saw people using machina around Spira, not just the crusaders and Al Bhed...in fact, the sphere pool is technically machina. "Don't you use machina, too?"

Lulu continued. "Yevon decides which machina we may use, and which we may not." I felt like this whole Yevon no machina control freak thing was out of hand. "So, which machina may we not use?" I said with just a hint of mockery in my voice. "Watch your tone." Wakka cautioned. "Remember Operation Mi'ihen? That kind." Lulu repeated the warning taught to every person in Spira. "If we use that kind of machina, war will rage again." Yuna finally spoke up. "More than a thousand years ago, mankind waged war using machina to kill." Wakka rudely interrupted his summoner.

"They kept building more and more powerful machina. They were so stupid! They made weapons so powerful that people said they could destroy the whole world." When Wakka paused, Yuna started speaking again. "The people feared that Spira would be destroyed, but they didn't stop the war. Then, Sin came. It destroyed the cities and their machina."

"The war ended. And our reward was Sin." Lulu said in a hushed tone. "So Sin's our punishment for them lettin' things get out of hand." Wakka said bitterly. "Man...that's rough." I whispered.

I just didn't understand why everything was so terrible and complicated in this crazy world. "But it's not like the machina are bad..." I trailed off. "Only as bad as their users." Wakka replied mournfully. "It's all because of people like the Al Bhed, screwin' everything up!" He spat. Suddenly the shoopuf faltered. We all simultaneously stood up to look to see what was going on, except for Auron. "Sit down!" He commanded. Before we could sit, an Al Bhed climbed onto the edge of the cabin and pulled Yuna over the railing. She vanished so quickly that she didn't even have time to scream. I barely missed a beat, diving overboard after her, with Wakka not far behind. I searched around me, now very thankful for the water being so clear. Soon I saw in the depths a large cage-like object.

I watched the Al Bhed shove Yuna into the cage and use a tool to quickly bolt it. The machine holding the cage began to move upward, but suddenly it malfunctioned and a burst of flames exploded from the cabin, but they were instantly extinguished. The machina began to sink, and I swam towards it as fast as I could.

As it sank deeper, I fought with the bolts while we descended into the darker part of the deep river.

I cut my finger on one of the bolts, but I kept working to unscrew it, the pain being practically nothing compared to some of what I had gone through in the last few months.

Wakka worked beside me, but we couldn't go fast enough. Yuna grabbed the bars and looked at me, panicked. She was shaking, her cheeks puffed out as she struggled not to take in the breath that she so desperately needed.

Then she let out a cry, bubbles of air escaping her mouth. She shut it, trying to keep from gasping in water. Almost without thinking, I reached through the bars, grabbed the back of her head with one hand and plugged her nose with the other. I pulled her towards me, smashing our lips together and breathing into her mouth. After checking to make sure she was okay, I returned to the bolts, going even faster than before.

I was a bit embarrassed, seeing as that was the first time my lips had ever met with someone else's. I didn't consider it my first kiss, or even a kiss at all though, because it wasn't romantic. All it was was a guardian protecting his summoner. Despite her extra breath, I knew she wouldn't last much longer, and I didn't have any more air in my lungs to give her. I would be just fine though, I could spend several hours down here without going up for a breath.

When the last bolt finally popped off, the spring-loaded bar section violently swung down catching Wakka beneath its weight. It pinned him to the bottom of the river. I knew it was summoners before guardians, so took Yuna around the waist and dragged her to the surface. Before I reached it, she couldn't fight her natural reflexes any longer. She sucked in a huge amount of water, convulsing in my arms as she coughed and inhaled even more water. Soon, she stopped moving, signaling her looming death.

I knew I could save her, though, so I wan't too concerned. I rushed to pull her aboard the shoopuf. When I got her on floor of the cabin, her guardians surrounded us as I began to pump her chest and then pause for a moment to give her a breath into her mouth. I only started getting really worried after about a minute with no response. Finally, she coughed the water up, gasping in the much needed oxygen.

Lulu leaned down to help her sit up and began to smooth her hair and ask her questions. "Are you okay? Did that Al Bhed hurt you?" Just then Wakka climbed on board, but hardly any attention was paid him, we were all to concerned for Yuna. "Yuna! You okay?" She nodded and let out a small cough. "The Al Bhed didn't hurt me, and yes, I'm okay now. Thank you, Tidus." She gave me a lingering look, smiling faintly. "It was nothing." I said. Then I thought about what I had just said. 'It was nothing.' How could I say that? I had just saved her life. I didn't bother to correct myself, because I thought that if I tried, it might just come out wrong.

"Grrah! Those Al Bhed!" Wakka growled. "Damn them! What do they want from us?! Could it have something to do with Luca? What are they after Yuna for? Wait! Maybe they're mad about operation Mi'ihen!" Wakka went on. I cringed. I hoped that they weren't trying to take revenge for me killing one of them. "Didn't Kimahri's clansmen say something about summoners disappearing?" Lulu spoke thoughtfully.

"Ah!" Wakka shouted. "So the Al Bhed are behind that! Those sand-blasted grease monkeys!" The corners of my mouth turned up slightly at his expression, despite the situation. "Hey, Wakka, it's no use complaining about the Al Bhed now, right? We'll protect Yuna from anyone and anything, anywhere. It's that simple. That's all I need to know."

"Well...I guess so..." Wakka sounded pretty unsure. "You're right." Lulu said conclusively. Yuna mouthed to me, 'Thank you." and gave me a sweet smile.

TidusxYuna Always


	31. Dark Proposal

31 Dark Proposal

When we arrived on the opposite shore, we all got out, but I thought I saw something brightly colored quite a bit farther down the riverside. "Guys, I'll be right back, I think I saw something." I looked at Yuna, and she nodded, giving me the go-ahead. I hurried over, and found that it was a body of an Al Bhed. Suddenly, she stood. At that moment, I recognized her by the outfit. "Rikku?" I said, a bit at a loss for words.

When I first appeared in Spira, before I arrived at Besaid, I found myself in a strange ruins, which was partially submerged. Rikku found me there and brought me on to her ship and gave me food. She also protected me from her other shipmates, who seemed to want to shoot me. So, yeah, that was my rude introduction to this awful world.

"Thought I was done for, back there." She said. Then she reached behind her and started unzipping her clothes. My eyebrows raised and I looked awkwardly around, wondering why this girl was stripping right in front of me. Then by my peripheral vision, I realized that she was actually wearing clothes under her suit. "Umm...so Rikku?" I said, looking back at her. "Yes?" She said, pulling off her mask to reveal a pretty face and blond hair. She looked to be fifteen or so. She had a bruise on one cheekbone, and in general she looked rather disheveled.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She frowned at me. "I'm terrible!" she whined. "Yeah, you don't look so good. Was that you who kidnapped Yuna? My summoner?" She scowled. "I wasn't kidnapping her. It's not what you think. I was protecting her!" "What-" I started to ask, but then I saw the group approaching us. I kicked her wetsuit into the water, and it was mostly concealed under the moonlilies.

"Yo!" Wakka called. "Friend of yours?" "Uh, you could say that." I mumbled. "Pleased to meet you! I'm Rikku!" She bounced over to him and extended her hand. "Yuna, Lulu... I told you about her, remember? She was the one who helped me before I was washed up on Besaid. She's" I suddenly broke off. I was about to say that she was Al Bhed, but I remembered the vehemence Wakka harbored towards them.

"Wow, so you, like, owe her your life! What luck meeting here, ya? Praise be to Yevon!" Wakka heartily shook Rikku's hand. "So, Rikku, you look a little beat up. You okay?" Before Rikku answered Lulu said, "Uh, Wakka..." "There's something we need to discuss." Yuna finished. Wakka leaned back and crossed his arms. "Oh, go ahead." Rikku waved her hand at him. "Girls only! Boys please wait over there!"

"Are you an Al Bhed? Are you the one who kidnapped Yuna?" Lulu asked Rikku as soon as we were out of earshot. "I didn't kidnap her! I tried to take her away from...well, you know...the final summoning." There was a painful silence and then I said, "Rikku, you almost killed me." I was careful to maintain a neutral tone and expression. I knew she hadn't meant to harm me.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! I was trying to keep you from reaching Zanarkand." I was disappointed in the girl. Lulu stayed silent, letting me deal with her. I decided not to berate her, so I moved on to another subject. "Rikku, do you happen to know anyone named Cid? He's my uncle, on my mother's side."

Rikku nodded vigorously. "Yes! Cid's my Dad!" By her happy expression, I figured he must still be fine. "Really? We're cousins then!" Rikku smiled widely back at me. "So, I guess I ought to know my own cousin's name!" "Yuna. My name is Yuna." "I have a cousin!" Rikku said, loud enough to make me flinch. I hoped the guys didn't hear that. There was no reaction, so I figured we were still in the clear.

"Well Rikku...I am going to do the final summoning. I have my mind made up. But I can only do it if I make it to Zanarkand alive. I would like to get to know you better, since you're my cousin...Do you want to come with us?" "Like a guardian?" Rikku asked. "I know an Al Bhed has never been a guardian before, but there's always a first." She was quiet for a moment. "Well, you know I'm against summoners sacrificing themselves, but if you want me to come, I will." "Good. It's decided, then." I went back over to the group of men.

"Rikku is going to be my guardian." I said matter-of-factly. "Auron approached the young girl. She looked down, avoiding eye contact. "Show me your face." She turned her face up towards him but kept her eyes closed. "Open your eyes." He said firmly. She finally opened her eyes. "Hm. As I thought." He said, seeing her irises, which were green swirls. He looked over at me. "Are you certain?" "Yes." I said. Somehow, Wakka didn't understand the whole exchange, and he had no idea that Rikku was Al Bhed, much to my relief.

In a while, we reached Guadosalam. The city itself is beneath the ground, among tree roots. It was rather dimly lit, and it seemed a bit erie. As we traveled deeper into the city, a guado stepped out of the shadows, startling me a bit. "Lady Yuna, I presume?" "Yes, I am Yuna." I looked at the man seriously. He was very short for a Guado, only my height. Most Guado were taller than that, even the women. "My Lady, please come this way."  
>"Why?" Wakka asked warily. "Oh, I beg your pardon. I am Tromell. I am in direct service of our leader, the great Seymour Guado. Lord Seymour has very important business with Lady Yuna." I have to admit that I was a bit nervous. The Maester made me feel really uncomfortable. "Please, come inside the manor. All will be explained." I knew that I had to follow him, a Maester's orders were law.<p>

"And of course, your guardians are welcome." We all followed him into a mysterious mansion, formed entirely of roots twisted together to make secure walls. Inside, there were many hors devours and exotic fruits set out on tables throughout the room. "Make yourselves comfortable, have something to eat. Lord Seymour will be here shortly. Truly, it is good to have guests again. Since Lord Jyscal passed on, these halls have been too quiet."

I dipped my head. "The death of Lord Jyscal was a great loss for all of Spira." Trommel nodded. "But now, a new leader, Lord Seymour, has come before us. Lord Seymour is the child of a Guado and a human. He will be the tie that binds our two races together. But that is not all, I think. He will surely become the shining star that lights the way for all the peoples of Spira!" I did not know why this Trommel fellow had so much faith in Maester Seymour, but I hoped I would eventually learn.

When Trommel left, Tidus approached me. "Wow. Talk about showy. That Seymour guy just creeps me out." I glanced around, hoping no one heard him. In a hushed tone I said. "Don't talk so disrespectfully. But he does make me feel uncomfortable too." We exchanged glances and then ate some of the strange looking foods that were set before us. They tasted exquisite.

Soon, Lord Seymour entered the room. "Welcome!" "You wanted to see me?" I said uncertainly. "Please, make yourselves at home. There is no rush." He spoke with a calm, and rather flat tone. "Auron stepped forward. "Please keep this short. Yuna must rush. "Pardon me. It has been a long time since I had guests. Lady Yuna, this way." He led us into another room. It was a rather large room, and completely empty except for one sphere sitting on the floor in the exact center of the room.

Seymour flicked off the light in the room, and the sphere activated, sending a three dimensional image all around the room. It was a city filled with people. It was night, and we could hear a strange kind of music and someone making announcements on a loud speaker. All the people were rushing in the same direction. There were children holding the hands of men and women, probably their parents. Tidus gasped. "Zanarkand!" Lord Seymour turned to look at me.

"He is correct. This sphere is a reconstruction created from the thoughts of the dead on the Farplane. This is Zanarkand as it looked one thousand years ago." My guardians had various reactions, but no one actually said anything. I looked behind me and saw Tidus' expression. It was hard to read. It spelled excitement, pain, and maybe something else, though I wasn't sure what.

"She once lived in this metropolis." Lord Seymour said, as if he was looking for a question. I gave him his wish, not knowing what else to do. "She who?" With a wave of Seymour's hand, the scene changed. The room was richly decorated, and a woman with long, white hair sat on a bed. I recognized her as Lady Yunalesca from paintings. "Lady Yunalesca. You know that she was the first person to defeat Sin and save the world from its ravages. And you have inherited her name."  
>I looked down shyly. "My father gave me the name." "Lord Braska was entrusting you with a great task. He wanted you to face Sin, as Lady Yunalesca did. However, Lady Yunalesca did not save the world alone. To defeat the undefeatable Sin, it took an unbreakable bond of love. The kind that binds two hearts for eternity."<br>As if on queue, a man entered, Lord Zaon. The two embraced, then the scene ended. Lord Seymour led us into yet another room. This one was smaller, but lushly decorated with multiple couches and a thick red carpet. When we had all entered the room, Lord Seymour took my hand. I tried not to flinch as his cold skin touched mine. Then I wished that I wore gloves, like Tidus.

I turned to face the Guado. He leaned towards me, and for a split second, I thought he was going to try to kiss me. I leaned back, but then realized that he was going to whisper in my ear. My heart was pounding and I was having trouble breathing. I was disquieted by his forward actions, but I tried not to disrespect the Maester.

"Lady Yuna, please marry me." My heart dropped into my stomach. My head was spinning. I could hardly process the request. It was actually more of a command. Without thinking, I pulled my hand out of his and covered my mouth with both of mine. I could feel my cheeks heat up, surely turning bright red. He backed away from me and nodded slowly.

I stumbled over to a table and grabbed a glass of water, swiftly gulping it down. Tidus' eyebrows raised so high that they seemed ready to reach his hairline. The others weren't much less surprised. "He...he asked me to marry him!"

"What?" I shouted as the other guardians gasped. I couldn't believe it. There was no way that Yuna would marry this creep. I felt some kind of disdain rising in my chest for the conceited Maester. I glanced at him with no respect whatsoever in my expression. He ignored me, his gaze set on my summoner.

Auron said, "You know what Yuna must do." Seymour gave a tiny smirk. I was disgusted with this Guado man. "Of course. Lady Yuna, and all summoners are charged with bringing peace to Spira." Every eye in the room was fixated on the crazy blue haired Guado. "But this means more than just defeating Sin. She must ease the suffering of all Spira. She must be a leader for the people. I proposed to Lady Yuna as a Maester of Yevon." Auron scowled at him, his opposition to the proposal was obvious. I wasn't too keen on it either. In fact, I hated the idea...a lot.

"Spira is no playhouse." Auron said in a low voice. "A moment's diversion may amuse the audience, but it changes nothing." "Even so, the actors must play their parts." Seymour countered. He approached Yuna, and it was all I could do not to step between the two. I didn't want to cause trouble, though. "Lady Yuna, there is no need to answer right away. Please, think it over." Seymour spoke gracefully, though I suspected his impatience.  
>"We leave." Auron said. We all followed. "Lady Yuna. I await your favorable reply." Seymour called after us. Once we had traveled a bit away from the manor, finally one of us spoke. Lulu gave a small speech, though she didn't reveal her feelings on the subject by the way she said it. "Yuna, the high summoner's daughter. Maester Seymour, leader of the Guado. Married in the name of Yevon, overcoming the barriers of race. It would give Spira something cheery to talk about, for a change." "Sounds like a passin' daydream, like Auron says." Wakka replied.<p>

"Come on! Let's just get on with the pilgrimage. I mean...marriage?" I just didn't understand why these people were even considering it! "Hmm! Jealous?" Rikku poked me in the ribs. I brushed her hand away. "What? No!" I denied it immediately, not even thinking about it. I did admit to myself though, if the only options were for Yuna to marry me or this weirdo, I would marry her without a second thought. It was enough to make me blush. I knew that I really liked Yuna, but not like that.

"He sure picked a fine time to lay this one on us." Wakka was definitely being sarcastic, though just mildly. "Maybe it is a fine time..." Yuna's words were quiet and contemplative. I frowned deeply and pulled my head back in disbelief. "Are you serious?" She gave me a tiny smile. "If my getting married would help Spira...if it would make people happy...If I could do that for the people, maybe I should do what I can. I never imagined doing anything like this...But I won't answer until I know what's right."

I was speechless. How could she not know what was right. This guy was downright spooky. How in the world could the answer be anything but no?

Rikku spoke, a hopeful tone to her voice. "You could always just quit your pilgrimage and get married." Yuna shook her head. "I will go on. I'm sure that Lord Seymour will understand." I had to stop myself from shouting, 'What's there to think about! Just don't do it, Yuna!" Yuna calmly whispered, "I'm going to see my father and think on this." Lulu nodded at her. "Go on, we'll be right behind you."


	32. Go to Heaven

32 Go to Heaven

Yuna went up to a loitering Guado, who seemed to be fruitlessly trying to eavesdrop on our conversation. "Excuse me, Ma'am. Do you know the way to the farplane?" The Guado woman nodded. "Yes. Just that way." She pointed up a path to the right. "Follow that and take the first two lefts. Travel all the way to the end and you will reach a tunnel. Go through the tunnel and you will find the entrance." "Thank you very much." Yuna bowed.

We did as she said. After some time, we arrived at the tunnel. I had never been claustrophobic before, but I felt like sometime creepy was waiting at the end. The tunnel wasn't dark, on the contrary, it was completely lined with blue lights along the walls and floor. And there were some stray pyreflies wandering about. But I didn't feel too good. Maybe part of that was Yuna's looming decision about Seymour.

Yuna looked back at me as she walked. "I don't remember if we told you. The farplane is where I send the deceased. Their souls reside here for eternity." I gazed at her. "So your father is here." I said softly. She looked away sadly.

There were several short flights of steps leading up to a portal. Covering it was rainbow film. As we headed up the stairs, Auron stayed back. I turned around. "Aren't you coming?" "I do not belong there." He said dryly. "Ha!" I laughed. "You're scared!" Auron scowled at me. "Searching the past to find the future. That is all that is there. I need it not." Rikku had also stayed back.  
>"You're not really going to see the dead. Only your memories of them. The pyreflies search your mind, so whoever you think of, the pyreflies react to that. They take the form, an image, of the dead person. An illusion, nothing else." "Hm." It was an interesting concept. "Well, have fun!" Rikku waved me on. "You're not going either?" I asked. Rikku shook her head. "I keep my memories inside. Memories are nice, but that's all they are." "Whatever." I said dismissively. I had determined I would see this for myself. So I went up the stairs and tapped the portal.<p>

The others had already passed through, so I figured it must be safe. I walked through it, and it was a strange, buzzing sensation as it grazed across my skin. The sight I beheld was truly amazing. Now, we were on a relatively small, floating platform in a vast expanse of clouds. Below us was a massive waterfall, and below that was a gorgeous meadow filled with flowers of all colors. And everywhere flew fathomless numbers of pyreflies. Their screaming which I had heard in Spira was reduced to a harmonious song, an incredibly beautiful one that nearly brought tears to my eyes.

I looked at Yuna. She stood on the opposite end of the platform, and before her stood a richly dressed man, and a woman in Al Bhed garb. I could only assume that they were her parents. They stood together, holding hands. Neither spoke, they just gazed straight ahead, simple images. The farplane was way beyond cool, but I couldn't stop thinking about Yuna. Her parents looked so happy together. That got me worried that maybe seeing them would make Yuna really consider Seymour's proposal-even more than she already had.

I was hoping she would be okay with me interrupting her. I went up to her uncertainly. "So...Yuna?" "I've decided." She said. "Oh. Really? That's good..." I trailed off. It could either be good, or very bad. I really hoped she wouldn't marry the Guado. I knew it really wasn't my business though. I mean, I was her guardian and all, but she was in charge. "I remember, when I was only seven years old, in Bevelle that day. My father had defeated Sin, and the whole town was out in the streets. Everyone was laughing. They all seemed so happy. If I defeat Sin, that would make everyone happy. I must do what everyone wants, not just what I want."

I wasn't sure what she meant by that. I wasn't sure if I should be happy, or worried. It seemed to me like she was saying that everyone would want her to marry Seymour, and I couldn't imagine that was what she wanted...but I just wasn't sure. She turned around to look at me, sadness in her eyes, but she quickly wiped the look away. "Call Sir Jecht." I had still not gotten used to her calling him that. "Don't worry. He won't come." I wondered why she was so sure.

I didn't want to call him, I didn't want to see him. But trying not to think of him only did the opposite. When nothing happened, Yuna said, "See, told you! That means he's alive!" He wasn't there, because he wasn't dead...he was Sin. I didn't know what to say. I knew it was true. I wondered what I could possibly say to Yuna-to everyone in Spira, for that matter.

But then I realized that his actions weren't my problem. I didn't have to apologize for the loser that called himself my old man. "I'd rather never see him again." I said, meaning two things. I didn't want to see my old man in person, and even more, I didn't want to see him as Sin. Yuna frowned. "What makes you hate him so?"

"Everything he does just makes me mad! He would drink all the time, and he was just a full time jerk! And, it was his fault that me and mom..." Suddenly I looked up and there my mom was. Standing right there. She stared straight ahead, and she floated in midair away from the platform. I let out a breath. "Mom..." I steeled my face, refusing to let my grief show. I missed her so much. "But wait. No one ever performed a sending for her." "Well...a person doesn't have to be sent in order to show in the farplane. They just have to have died. But people who die of natural causes, or people who accept death before they die, they go to the farplane without having to be sent." I hung my head. I knew it was the latter. Mom gave up living. She was too said without Jecht.

"I think...I think I just figured out why I hate my old man so much...Whenever my old man was around, Mom wouldn't even look at me. Maybe that's when I started to resent my old man, maybe even hate him. When he left us...Mom just lost her energy. They lady next door told me...when a lovebird dies, the one that's left behind, it just gives up living, so it can be with its mate. It was just like that. I hated Jecht even more..."

What Yuna offered in response was only a sympathetic silence. It was rudely interrupted by Wakka. "Well? Need some more time?" He asked Yuna. "No, I'm ready." She glanced back at me giving me an encouraging smile as she went back through the portal. I looked back over the beautiful scene, and saw my mother one last time. I frowned as tears stung my eyes. "Bye Mom." I whispered when everyone else was gone. Then I left, back to the world of living.

"Now I will go give my answer to Maester Seymour." I nearly jumped out of my skin when from behind me came a zombie-like moan. I ran down the steps away from the ghostly creature that had followed us out of the farplane. "It does not belong here!" Auron said with a commanding tone to his voice. "Yuna. Send him." She went up to the specter. "Lord Jyscal..." She whispered. "He is Lord Jyscal no more. Send him now!" Lulu created a pool of water on the floor. She began her sending, but he faded away before she finished. But in the place where he disappeared, there lay a tiny blue sphere. No one saw it but me and her.

She picked it up as we left, and tucked it into her belt. I didn't mention it, because for some reason, she looked like she wanted to hide it. As we traveled again through the tunnel of light, Wakka mumbled, "What was that? Was that really Lord Jyscal?" "He died an unclean death." Auron said flatly. Apparently, everyone except me knew what this meant, and why. I didn't bother asking. I figured I would ask Yuna about it later. "I will go speak to Maester Seymour." Yuna sounded nervous. I shuddered. I deeply hoped I was wrong about my suspicion that she would marry him.

She went into the manor alone, and the others split up in different directions. Auron sat by himself and Kimahri stood guard outside the mansion. Rikku and Wakka went into a nearby shop.  
>I followed Lulu into a corner. "Ummm..." I wasn't sure what to say. "What?" She asked, actually sounding a little curious, for once. "What do you think about Yuna getting married?" Her expression softened, if only a bit. "As long as the pilgrimage continues, either way is fine." I frowned. I just didn't get it. "That's it? What if she doesn't even like the guy? Is that okay?" Lulu looked up as if begging some higher power to help her to answer my foolish questions, though they truly weren't foolish at all.<p>

"People marry for many reasons. Sometimes marriage doesn't require love. Defeat Sin, bring joy to the people of Spira. Get married, bring joy to the people of Spira. For Yuna, they're just two ways down the same road. All you need is determination. If you have that, you don't need love." I shook my head slowly from side to side. "I don't know...I just don't get it." "But." Lulu said abruptly. "If she is to marry, I would want her to marry for love. But if Yuna wanted to marry the one she loves, I would have to object.

I didn't understand this woman. "Uh...you're not making much sense." "I know." She said dismissively. "I have spoken enough on this subject. Just forget about it." This time it was my turn to look to a higher power for help. "You'll understand one of these days." Lulu seemed sad. "I just don't want to give it words. Not yet." She started to walk away, but she turned back and looked at me very seriously, not accusingly, but clearly what she was about to say held an intense importance.

"Don't fall in love with her." I put my hands in my pockets and stiffly turned around, my face heating up. I didn't answer. I wandered away, though not too far from the group. I struggled with my thoughts as I went, mulling over what Lulu had said. And also what Rikku had said. Rikku asked if I was jealous if Yuna married Seymour. I started to worry maybe it was too late...I told myself I didn't love her, but I was starting to really wonder.

At that point, I nearly walked right into a human girl. I recognized her from somewhere, but I couldn't think where. She clearly knew who I was. "Is the lady summoner not with you?" "No. She's at Seymour's place." "That's Lord Seymour." She corrected me. "Sorry." I mumbled. "I believe that Maester Seymour left Guadosalam just a short while ago. He was going to the temple in Macalania, if I'm not mistaken. Maester Seymour is also the high priest of that temple." "Oh, well thanks for telling me. I'll tell the others." She nodded her head. I retraced my steps back to the manor, but Yuna was already out by the time I arrived.

"Yuna! Some girl said that Seymour went to Macarena Temple." "Macalania Temple." Wakka said. I waved my hand. "Whatever." "But...why would the Lord Maester head off without waiting for Yuna?" Wakka scratched his head. "Well maybe he wasn't expecting Yuna's answer so soon." Rikku offered.

Yuna coughed. "What is it?" Auron asked. "Oh. Nothing." Auron half closed his good eye. "You're a poor liar." "It's true, it's nothing! Come on. Let's go." After getting directions, we found our way through the maze of a city and reached the exit. Where we came out, there was a storm on the rage. It was dark; thick clouds covered the sky. Lightning flashed at intervals and thunder crashed loudly every few seconds. There were towers constructed haphazardly around the plain, and lightning frequently struck said towers. "That looks...really dangerous..." I watched as a rock sitting atop a hill was struck with lightening and momentarily lit up with a blueish hue.

"The lightening is usually drawn to the rod towers." Lulu calmly replied. "We head north, not too near, and not too far from the towers. We have to stay on the lower ground and we should be fine." Wakka began forward, resolutely. The rest followed. I heard a quiet whimper, and looked behind me to see Rikku trembling, and flinch every time lightening struck nearby. I ignored the girl's antics, as did everyone else, though, because I knew that we had to travel across this treacherous expanse as fast as possible.

After about an hour, it started pouring rain. Our feet squished in the mud, and overall, it was really unpleasant. Eventually we reached a small building hiding in a large, deep ditch. We entered it, taking shelter from the storm. At first I was worried about dirtying the floor, but when I saw that it was already covered in mud tracks, I realized that they didn't even bother to try to keep it clean. A young woman Guado sat in a chair in the corner, watching something on a sphere.

When she saw us, she turned off the sphere and rose up. "Lady Summoner." Yuna bowed, though her it was more shallow than usual. "I'm a little...tired." She said to the group. "Do you have a room available?" "Yes." A clerk called from behind the counter. "You can take the last one on the right." "Thank you." She hurried into the back room. Wakka raised an eyebrow after she disappeared down the hallway. "That's not like her..." I knew he was right. Something was up. It probably had to do with marrying Seymour.

The Guado clerk helped Lulu, Wakka, and Auron at the front desk. They paid for the room and stocked up on some supplies. I stood warily near the door. I was creeped out by all these Guado people, they looked too much like that bug-haired weirdo, Seymour.

The girl approached me, slowly, as if trying to appear calm, when she was not. "Is it true? I heard that Lord Maester Seymour and Lady Yuna are to be wed! It is such great news!" I cringed inwardly. "Where'd you here that?" She raised the sphere in her hand. "I watch this, to keep up with the latest Guado news. I don't leave this place very often. Everyone's really excited." I wasn't sure what to say. It made me sick that it was already on the news that she was going to say yes. I figured Seymour must have decided to make her feel bad if she said no, by getting all the Guado excited about it. Jerk.  
>"Uh...I'm afraid they've got it wrong. Yuna's not gonna marry him. She's gonna turn him down." I only hoped I was right. "Oh...I see. That's unfortunate." She sighed. "Well I'm sure that people would have rejoiced all over Spira." She walked dejectedly away and slouched into her chair. The corners of my mouth twitched up, I couldn't help but feel good about saying Yuna wouldn't marry the guy.<p>

I meandered down the hallway, with my hands in my pockets. Suddenly, I heard a male voice coming from the last room on the right, and I Yuna gasp. I instantly leaned over with my ear to the door, listening intently. I glanced behind me to make sure no one was watching, and then I tried to crack the door open to hear a little better. I didn't do it right, because the door opened all the way, and I had been leaning on it, so I stumbled right into the room.

Knowing it was definitely too late to hide my presence, I hurriedly glanced around the room for the owner of the male voice I had heard. Just before Yuna grabbed a sphere and turned it off, I saw what I thought was a Guado hovering above it. Needless to say, I was relieved that no guy was in here with her. And I figured she had been watching the sphere that that ghost thing dropped.

She turned around, jittery, and tried to look undisturbed, though she clearly was. "Y-yes?" I laughed awkwardly. "A...um, it's nothing, really. I just uh...sorry-I shouldn't have come in..." Yeah, that was real smooth. "What's that?" Yuna took a split second to answer, just long enough for me to be suspicious as to whether or not she was telling the truth.

"The sphere is Lord Jyscal's will...It says, 'Take care of my son.' Seymour." I squinted. "Well I know one way to 'take care' of him." I said the words low, under my breath. I was implying that we kill him. At this point, I would be happy if he died. Then, Yuna wouldn't marry him. Yuna's hand went to her mouth. "I'm sorry." She turned and rushed into a room connected to this one. I wasn't sure what she was doing.

She left the sphere on the desk, so I did the obvious thing and decided to watch it. But before I could, I realized someone was approaching me from behind. At the moment I realized it, Wakka grabbed me and put me in a headlock. "What do you think you're doing?" I struggled to remove myself from his grasp. "Yuna-Yuna was acting funny, so-" Wakka let go, and interrupted my sad attempts at fighting him.

"Yeah, yeah! She'll tell us when she's ready, so hold your chocobos till then!" "Alright! Fine!" I cracked my neck and we marched out. I still wanted to know what was really on that sphere, and obviously, Yuna wasn't going to tell me, so I determined to find out as soon as I could get at it.

A few hours later, Auron woke me up, and we all left the agency. Yuna was very deep in thought. I walked beside her, and eventually asked if she was okay. "I-I'm fine." She wasn't convincing at all. Right near us, ahead, there was a shelter. Yuna yelled over the thunder, "Let's stop here for a moment. "Why?" Auron demanded.

"I have to say this now!" She was very distraught, and I dreaded what I was about to hear. Once we reached the shelter, she took a deep breath and burst out, "I've decided to marry." My heart dropped into my stomach. Thunder crashed. I fought not to start yelling out all the reasons why she shouldn't marry. Lulu sighed. "I though so." "B-but why?" Wakka spluttered. Yuna looked down. "For Spira's future, and Yevon's unity. I thought it would be the best thing to do."

Auron was not pleased. "That's not good enough." Lulu gave Auron a sharp look signaling that she did not approve of the way he spoke to our summoner. "Is it because of Lord Jyscal?" She asked gently. I knew that Yuna didn't want other people to know about the sphere, but these were dire circumstances, so I decided to break her trust. "Your sphere, the one that Jyscal's ghost dropped. What was on it?" She looked at me, disappointed. The look she gave me made me want to swallow my words, but it was too late.

Auron approached Yuna menacingly. "Show me." Yuna stepped back and put her hands up signaling for him to stay back. "I can't. I must speak to Maester Seymour first. I am truly sorry, but this...it is a personal matter." Auron relented, knowing that Yuna's place as a summoner trumped his experience and age status. "As you wish. Just one thing." Yuna interrupted him. "I will not quit my pilgrimage." "Then...it is fine." Auron turned to leave.

"You're kidding!" Like me, Wakka couldn't believe what he was hearing. I grabbed Auron by the shoulder, seeing that he was Yuna's last hope to stop her from making a horrible mistake. "Wait a minute, Auron! You don't care? I mean, you're not going to stop her?" He looked back at me coldly. "No. I'm not. As long as she is willing to face Sin...all else is her concern. That is a summoner's privilege. As long as she journeys. "But thats..." I frowned and my mouth hung open as I tried unsuccessfully to find words that would make her change her mind.

Wakka attempted to help. "Yuna, just one question...I mean, can't you just talk to Maester Seymour? Do you gotta marry him?" Yuna shook her head. "I don't know. But I think it is the right thing to do." Rikku went up to Yuna and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Yunie..." She used the nickname that she had made up for her cousin a while back. "I wish we could help, somehow...someway!" Yuna put a hand over one of Rikku's "It's okay...I'll be fine." With that, the conversation ended, and we headed out of the storm lands. I was still completely dumbfounded and desperate to get Yuna to reconsider her decision. I knew, though, it was no use.


	33. Love Comes Softly

33 Love Comes Softly

Moonlight dappled the muddy ground through the clouds, and I could see only a short distance ahead the end of the lightening storm, and the edges of a forest, which was emitting a pretty blue glow. When we reached the forest, it was even more beautiful than I first realized. Crystals where at the base of every tree, coming up from the ground. Some of the trees' leaves, and even their trunks also shined with the same blue light. The forest was still mostly dark, however, the light was soft and pale, not too bright.

Auron stopped next to me, while the group hurried up a hill, following a well traveled path. "You're worried about Yuna." He said, once he was sure they couldn't hear us. "Course I'm worried about her! What is she thinking?" Auron gazed up through the treetops. "The simplest answer would be...she hopes to negotiate with Seymour, in exchange for marrying him." I shook my head at the sickening thoughts. ""Negotiate what?"

Auron kept looking skyward."I wonder." "What? All by herself?" I didn't understand why she wouldn't let us in. He said, "She is strong, but Seymour is the better negotiator." I knew he was right. "Well, why don't we do something about it?" "Yuna wants it this way." He said. "Argh! I just don't get it! Doesn't she trust us?" I was so frustrated at this whole situation, and my real question was 'doesn't she trust me.' She had trusted me so much through that whole journey, up until that point. I wanted her to trust me then more than ever.

"On the contrary." He answered. "She doesn't want us caught up in whatever she's planning." I put my hands in my pockets. "Yeah, that's what I thought. But that makes me worry even more. She could tell us. And she won't." Auron sighed. "That's the way she is. She's naïve, serious to a fault, and doesn't ask for help. Yuna's easy to read." "Yeah. She is." I looked at Yuna, standing atop the hill in the distance, watching us, waiting.

She looked beautiful...like she always did. I hadn't realized that I was falling for her on the journey. I should have known. Thing is, I had never fallen in love before, so I didn't see it coming, I didn't know what it would be like. No matter how hard I tried not to think about it, I knew that I had already fallen in love with this girl, a girl who was about to get married. I just wanted to run up to her and tell her that I loved her, and that she shouldn't marry this guy. I wanted her for myself. She was so perfect, so wonderful. But it was for naught. It was too late to change her mind. I had to keep my feelings for her in my heart, never to be revealed. I realized too, right then and there, if I had a choice to stay here with Yuna, or go back to the world that I didn't even know anymore, Zanarkand, I think I would have stayed with Yuna.

It's funny how calm I was. Maybe it was because I knew that Yuna wasn't going to marry Seymour for love. She was just doing her duty. Something that she felt she had to do before returning to her pilgrimage. And I knew, if I had realized sooner that I loved her, I could have told her. Then maybe she would have waited for me, and I would have saved both of us. But I had lost my chance. I tried not to think about her and Seymour, but it was too horrible for me not to think about.

Auron brushed past me and spoke to Yuna. There is something he should see." He tilted his head towards me. Yuna's brow knitted. "But, Sir Auron..." "It won't take long." He answered her unfinished question. He let us along the path until he found several fallen trees. He viciously attacked them with his long katana. The crystal trunks shattered, clearing a way for us. When we passed through, there was a cave, and within that cave was a vast, glowing lake. "This is what spheres are made of." He told me. "It absorbs and preserves people's memories." He reached behind a rock and picked up an old, musty sphere. Jecht left this here ten years ago. Play it back."

I cringed as he handed me the sphere. I didn't want to see it. And yet, I was still curious. Anyway, I could tell Yuna was eager, so I pressed play, and the sphere projected a life sized image in front of us. I heard Auron's voice.

"_What are you taking?" Jecht peered into the sphere, getting a not-so-flattering image of his face, mostly his nose. I could see in the background was a large bustling city. "Well, you said this was gonna be a long trip. We'll be seeing a lot of neat things, right? So I thought I'd record it all in this. To show the wife and kid, you know." "This is no pleasure cruise!" Auron snapped. Jecht ignored him. He called to someone else off-screen. "Hey, Braksa! Ain't this supposed to be a grand occasion? Where are all the cheering fans? The crying women?" A man walked into view. _

Yuna gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. I glanced back at her, standing right next to me. She looked so sad. I wasn't used to seeing her that way.

"_Too many goodbyes. People think twice about leaving." Yuna's dad said. "Hmm. If you say so. But it better be a lot more colorful when we get back. A parade for Braska, vanquisher of Sin!" Jecht was clueless as to what awaited him. _

The sphere turned off, and I thought it was done. I figured that as soon as Jecht got out on the road, he changed his mind about recording it. Except for time spent with Yuna, this whole trip had been a thousand times worse than my worst nightmare. I would only want to forget it. I was about to put it down, but then there was more. I could see that this time the video was taken in the same place we were standing in. Jecht was sitting cross legged in front of us.

"_Hey. If you're sitting here, watching this...it means you're stuck in Spira, like me. You might not know when you'll get home, but you better not be crying! Although, I guess, I'd understand...But you know what? There's a time when you have to stop crying and move on. You'll be fine. Remember, you're my son. And well, uh...Never mind. I'm not good at these things. Anyways...I believe in you. Be good." _

The sphere turned off. I rolled my eyes bitterly. Yeah, stop crying and move on. He probably hadn't seen half of what I've seen on this trip. If he had gone through what I have, he would have cried too. "He sounded almost serious." I scoffed, not even able to process the information that my old man would actually 'believe' in me. He never, ever believed in me before. "He was serious." Auron said. "Jecht had already accepted his fate." "His fate?" I asked. "Jecht...He was always talking about going home, to Zanarkand. But as he journeyed with us, he came to understand Spira, and Braska's resolve. It happened gradually, but Jecht changed. He decided he would join Braska in his fight against Sin."

I was surprised. I would never have expected that my old man would give up Zanarkand for anything. Then again, I never would have expected to get thrown into a strange land called Spira that was constantly consumed by death and terror, only to realized that I wanted to stay here to be with a girl that I fell in love with, but that I couldn't be with because she was going to marry someone else.

I gritted my teeth. Oh, how I disliked that Seymour fellow. I didn't hate him yet, but I would hate him soon enough. I started to march out of the cave, but Auron stopped me. "Wait." I turned to look at him. "Yeah?" "Jecht loved you." I dropped the sphere and threw my hands in the air. "Oh, come on, please!" I yelled. If he had loved me he would have told me. Then something nagged at me. I loved Yuna, and I would never tell her. But this was different, I told myself. Jecht had every reason to tell me, and he didn't. "He just didn't know how to express it." Auron said, leaving me behind. I followed, my mind spinning. "I just thought you should know." "Okay...thanks." I said under my breath.

Yuna turned around after walking out of the cave, back into the cold night air. It was slightly warmer in the cave. "Actually, lets sleep here tonight." She said. So that's what we did. We were all tired, cold, and still wet. Lulu, Yuna, and Rikku and slept close together for warmth, but us guys were too proud to do the same.

We spent the next three days traveling through that forest. It was like a sanctuary. There were practically no fiends; it was beautiful. Everything was great, except for that as we travelled, it got progressively colder. On the fourth day, we reached the edge of the forest, and found the reason for the cold. We reached a snow covered barren land. "That's Macalania lake." Yuna said. I saw no lake. "It's frozen over, so you can't see it." She answered my question before I even asked it.

There was an inn right at the edge of the forest. When we entered the inn, Tromell, Seymour's crony was waiting for us. I was rudely surprised, and when I saw him, I knew that meeting up with Seymour was imminent. That was enough to make me want to kill something. Normally it would have been a fiend, but that time I wanted to kill Seymour. I think it was at that moment that I really started to hate him.

"Lady Yuna, we've been expecting you. We were surprised that you decided to come so soon. Pleasantly surprised, of course. Lord Seymour sends his apologies for having left without notice." Tromell rose from his seat as he spoke. "It's quite alright." Yuna said peaceably. "I have one question, if I may, sir. I want to keep journeying, even if I marry. Do you think that Maester Seymour would let me?"

Tromell bowed to her in respect. "But of course, my Lady. Lord Seymour wishes nothing else, I'm sure."  
>With that, he turned to look Auron, clearly the oldest in the group, and he assumed that Auron was leader of the guardians. "I must ask you all to wait her a little longer." I stepped a little closer to Yuna. "Why?" I asked defensively. "It is Guado tradition, sir." I wanted to tell him to take his Guado traditions and march right out of this inn and go back to the hellhole that he came from. But that would do nothing but embarrass Yuna. She had her mind made up.<p>

Yuna turned around to look at us, her eyes meeting those of each of her guardians. When she came to me, her gaze lingered a little longer than the others. I frowned and tilted my head to the side. This whole situation really scared me. It was just so wrong. "Goodbye." She said. "I..." Auron interrupted her, knowing what she was going to say. "We're all with you. Do as you will." Tromell led her out of the inn, saying to us, "I will send someone to escort you when we are ready." With that, they were gone. "Sorry." Auron looked straight at me."

"What?" I was still a little in a daze. "That was your line." I realized what he meant. I realized that he knew that I, more than anyone else in this party, desperately did not want her to marry Seymour. I only hoped he did not know why. My guess was that he did, though. When he said that, I realized that Yuna needed to know that I support her, whatever her decision. I rushed out of the inn after them.

"Yuna!" I called to her over the barren snowy ground. Then I whistled. "Just whistle." I said. She knew what I meant. _"Just whistle, I'll come running." _That was the promise we had made months before. I knew it still stood. She smiled at me, and let out a couple short bursts of artificial laughter. Tromell looked at her in utter mystification. She turned away and said something quietly to Tromell, and they went on. I took several deep breaths trying to calm my instincts. All of this was oh, so wrong. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I stood out in the frigid air and watched them until suddenly, several large skidoos sped onto the lake, seemingly coming from nowhere. The quickly encircled the two, as I ran into the inn. "Guys! Somebody's attacking Yuna!" They group was startled, and we all hurried out. "Oh, no!" Rikku yelled when she saw them. "Al Bhed!" Wakka shouted in disgust.

We ran as fast as we could as the Al Bhed jumped off their skidoos. I had a deep seated fear. I could handle the feeling of my blade slashing through the bodies of monsters, the fiends, but when it comes to humans, it was horrid. I dreaded killing these Al Bhed. I still felt a deep seated guilt for killing the one on the Mushroom Rock beach. "Get back!" I yelled at them. There were four of them, and eight of us.

They paused, looking to one, who was presumably the leader. He had a blond mohawk. He looked straight at Rikku. "Rikku! Tuh'd ehdanvana! E femm damm vydran!" She used Al Bhed in reply. "E ys dra guardian uv Yuna! Yuna ec cyva! Fa femm kiunt ran! Cra ec cyva!" He threw his hands in the air angrily. "Oui tu drec ymuha, cecdan!" "Mad'c ku!" He and his men got back on their skidoos and sped away, back to where they had come from. I had no idea what had just transpired, but the way I saw it, the Al Bhed were about to try to kidnap Yuna, again, and Rikku stopped them with only a few words.

The rest of the party stared at Rikku. She turned to us and laughed awkwardly. "Told him I was a guardian...I guess I had to, really." "How come you know Al Bhed?" Wakka asked. "Because I'm Al Bhed...and that was my brother." I cringed and looked at Wakka. He looked at me, then at Lulu, reading our expressions. "You knew? Why didn't you tell me?" "We knew you would be upset." Lulu said matter-of-factly. He threw his hands up. "This is great! I can't believe I've been traveling with an Al Bhed! A heathen!" "You're wrong!" Rikku yelled. "We have nothing against Yevon!" Wakka started getting in Rikku's face. "Oh, yeah? You Al Bhed use the forbidden machina! You know what that means? Sin was born because people used machina!" Rikku leaned forward to punctuate her words.

"You got proof? Give me proof!" "It's in the teachings!" Wakka spluttered. "Not that you'd know!" "That's not good enough!" I didn't know Rikku was capable of using that tone of voice. "Yevon says this! Yevon says that! Can't you think for yourself?" She flung her hands from side to side as she spoke. Wakka stepped back and looked up, his mouth open in utter fury. "Well then you tell me! Where did Sin come from?" Rikku looked down at first, but then held her head high. "I don't know." Then she turned stubbornly away from Wakka. He yelled at her back. "You bad mouth Yevon, and that's all you can come up with?" Rikku spun around. "That doesn't mean that you have to do whatever they say without thinking! Nothing will ever change that way!"

"Nothing has to change!" He said. "So you want Sin to keep coming back? There might be a way to stop it!" Wakka flicked his hand in her face. "Sin will be gone once we atone for our past mistakes!" Rikku spread out her arms. "When? How?" "If we keep faith in Yevon's teachings, it will be gone someday. But not if you Al Bhed keep using machina!" Rikku rolled her head back and walked away from him. "Why do I even bother?" She asked no one in particular.

The rest of us had simply watched the fiery argument go on without saying a word. Tromell was shocked, and didn't want to get in the middle of all the drama. "Uh...If I may, Lady Yuna, we must go. "Thank you, Rikku." She said quietly. "Oh!" Rikku ran to her and hugged her, as if she was saying goodbye for the last time. At that time, I thought that Rikku was just being dramatic. I didn't understand that truly, to Rikku, it did feel like one of the last times they would ever say goodbye.

Tromell and Yuna started to leave, but I grabbed Tromell's shoulder to stop him; obviously a disrespectful gesture, but I didn't care at this point. "Hold on! We're not gonna let you just lead Yuna into another trap! Don't you think we should come to protect her?" Yuna took my hand. "It's okay." I have aeons. I'll be fine." I closed my eyes and breathed out. It was so hard to let go of her like this. I hadn't been away from her for months, and now it was killing me to see her walk away from me; into the arms of a man she didn't even know.


	34. Go to Hell

34 Go to Hell

As Yuna and Tromell faded into the distance, we all silently watched until I turned to Wakka. I was really agitated right then, and I probably could have been nicer. "Really, Wakka? I mean, getting angry just cause you found out Rikku's an Al Bhed? You guys got along just fine till now!" He was immediately defensive. "That's different, I mean," I cut him off. "Well I don't know much about the Al Bhed, but I do know that Rikku's a good person!" Wakka scowled at me. "Lu?" He went to her for help in the argument. She didn't give it, at least not to him. "Just think of this as an opportunity to learn more about the Al Bhed." She was very calm and collected. "Ha!" Wakka marched away, towards the inn. We followed him, with no where else to go. I gave one last glance in the direction that Yuna had disappeared into. A chill ran down my spine, and I hurried to a private room.

I sat on the bed and rested my head in my hands. I took several minutes to just breath slowly and deeply. I was shaking, and every instinct I had was telling me that that whole situation was just plain old wrong. And Seymour, he was bad news. I was completely sure of it. And yet I stood by and watched her go to marry him. I banged my fists against the bed, and then turned around and flung myself onto it, smashing my face against the pillow. I tossed and turned all through the night, and barely got a wink of sleep. It was a terrible night.

The next morning, we assembled in the lobby, after a hearty breakfast. Wakka was cold to Rikku, and she to him. Wakka and I were on good terms again, though. "We have waited long enough." Auron announced. It was like a breath from heaven to hear that. I wanted to rush out the door and run as fast as I possibly could until I caught Yuna. But that would be of no use. So instead I followed Auron and the others out the door, and we began the trek through the snow. It was easy to know where to go, because there was a valley with steep mountains on either side, so we just traveled through the valley.

I was astonished when Lulu fell into step with me. She had never done such a thing ever before. "I hope you're not too mad at Wakka." "Nah...I was just really upset yesterday, that was all." She nodded in understanding. "Do you know what his problem is, anyway? His head is hard as a rock. It's because of Yevon, isn't it?" I asked. "Well, there's more to it than that." Her voice was slightly hushed, to make sure Wakka didn't hear our conversation. "Wakka doesn't like the Al Bhed because of his Brother, Chappu." "Oh, right...He used a machina weapon...and got killed by Sin." I got so angry when I said those words. "Damn you, Jecht!" I cursed under my breath.

"What?" Lulu asked, a bite to her voice. "Nevermind." I said. "Um, Lulu, what is Sin? I mean, well, is it a person?" Lulu took a moment to answer. "Sin is the punishment for, and the incarnation of crimes we have committed. There's no need to know what it is, so no one asks. You run or fight. That is really all you can do. There is no sense in brooding over it." I frowned. "What, that's all? I mean, you don't even wonder?" Lulu rested her forehead in her palm, like she did whenever I asked a question that she considered to be stupid. "You really do come from a world where there is no Sin." With that, she left me and caught up to Wakka.

As soon as she left, Rikku took her place. "Sorry about Wakka." There was sympathy, and just a touch of humor in my voice. "He didn't have to be so mean, you know?" She sounded a bit angry, but suddenly, she changed demeanors. "Hey, do I look like Yunie?" I raised an eyebrow. "You see, my dad's sister is Yuna's mom...so, we're cousins!" I looked over at the blonde who was practically dancing alongside me. "Wow, cool! So, you're guarding your family, then."

"Yuna's not the only one I want to protect. We Al Bhed want to protect all of the summoners, you know?" One side of my mouth tilted up. I was amused that these people that Wakka hated so much wanted to protect summoners. "Well, it's not like you can protect all of them by yourself. And anyway, they have their guardians. They'll be fine." When I said that, she squinted at me.

"The summoners...you could say that they...sacrifice themselves to bring happiness to Spira..." She seemed more distraught then I thought that she should be. "Sacrifice themselves?" "You know, the pilgrimage..." She trailed off.

"Yeah, it's hard, especially for Yuna, but you know, she's real serious about being a summoner. The pilgrimage kinda means everything to her. So you shouldn't say that she's sacrificing herself." My answer back then was so clueless. Apparently Auron had been listening in on our conversation, and he put himself between Rikku and me. "Rikku, give us some time." He ordered. I caught a glance from her to him that actually looked grateful. There was no reasonable explanation for such a look, as far as I knew, so I assumed it was my imagination. I know now that it was not.

"Do not complicate matters." He stared straight ahead. "Or you will find yourself trapped. Youth is for making mistakes, but this is a situation that you must not make a mistake in." He knew that I had an undeniably impulsive streak, and also that I wanted nothing more than to defend Yuna. Then it had come to the point that I wanted to protect Yuna much more than I wanted to go home. Yet I was helpless on both accounts.

"I don't need you to tell me that." I said in a low voice. That was the end of that little exchange, and I soon found myself walking alone. "Come on, guys! We need to go faster!" I yelled. That, however, changed nothing. I rubbed my hands across my arms, trying to ward off the cold. It took a day of traveling, but I was pleased to find that by evening, we came to a very long bridge, and beyond it was the ice temple of Macalania.

A Guado and a man stood outside the temple. When we approached them, the man said, "Ah, Lady Yuna's guardians. I was just about to send for you. Lady Yuna arrived late last night." I let out a quiet sigh. At least she was safe. "Lady Yuna is currently in the Cloister of Trials with Lord Seymour, I do believe." "Let's go!" I went inside, with the others close behind. Immediately upon us entering, a distraught woman rushed out of a back room. "Lord Jyscal! A sphere, Lady Yuna's belongings!" She saw us and grabbed Auron's arm and dragged him into the room. We all followed the woman, with no other option. She closed the door, so that no one else who had seen her display, would not know what went on in the room.

Yuna's room was small yet luxurious, and her few things were neatly stacked on a table beside her bed. On the carpeted floor was a sphere, and I assumed it was the same one that she had been watching at the inn on the Thunder Plains. The woman played it for us. A Guado showed on the image, and though he looked similar to them all, I could tell that he was that Maester Jyscal guy.

"What I am about to tell you is the unclouded truth." He spoke to us. "I swear it on my honor as a Guado. Listen to me very carefully, for I shall tell you the truth about my son, Seymour. His mind is closed, even to me, a Maester of Yevon. I can feel flames of darkness burning in his heart. He is using Yevon, the Guado, and even summoners. If he is not stopped, he will surely bring great destruction and chaos to Spira. Whoever is watching this, I implore you to stop Seymour! Stop my son. I cannot, because I will leave this world soon, killed by my own son."

The recording ended abruptly. As I watched the sphere, all my feelings about Seymour were confirmed. And then I knew that he was just manipulating Yuna, and she was falling right into his sadistic trap. Then, I knew for sure, I was going to kill that monster, before he ever again laid a finger on Yuna.

"I'm gonna kill him!" I growled. I burst through the door, dashed up the stairs, and navigated my way through the already solved trials. The others were hot on my heels. It wasn't long before we reached the anteroom. Seymour was waiting outside the chamber of the fayth, and when he heard all our racket, he turned around, surveying us.

"Seymour!" I spat. Seymour looked at me coldly. "Please be silent. Lady Yuna prays to the fayth." I bared my teeth. "Make me!" Seymour smirked at me. At that moment, the chamber's door slid up, and Yuna stepped out, tired. Yuna searched the room, confused. "Why...?" "We saw Jyscal's sphere!" I explained. "You killed him!" I was addressing Seymour. He smiled this gross, evil smile and looked over at Yuna. "What of it? Lady Yuna, you certainly you knew of these things, did you not?"

Yuna stammered something unintelligible, and ran past him down the steps. "Why did you come here?" Seymour asked. "I came...I came to stop you!" Yuna's gentle voice was charged with determination. He advanced towards her, and she backed away. I moved in front of her, brandishing my sword. The others gathered around her in a protective circle. "Ah, of course. The code of the guardian. Protect the summoner, even at the cost of one's life. How admirable." He came further towards us, but I didn't back down.

"Well then, if you are offering your lives, I will have to take them." "No!" I rushed forward to attack him, but he sent a barrage of flames my way. I had to roll on the ground to put them out. As soon as I could, I jumped up and back into the fray. It was amazing how one man could be so dangerous, against so many of us. He flung his elemental powers around like it was child's play.

Auron and I looked straight at each other, and we both knew what move it was time for. We had used it occasionally along the highroad. One of us distracted the fiend, and the other would stab it in the back. It was not honorable, but fiends needed no honer. And Auron and I both knew that Seymour deserved none, either. Auron swung is katana at Seymour, who ducked to avoid having his head removed, but then I yelled as I plunged my sword deep into his body.

He howled and fell to the floor. I yanked my blade out of him, and kicked him in the back, getting his blood all over my boot. "That's for trying to marry Yuna, you psycho!"

"What have we done? We killed a Maester!" Wakka bemoaned. I looked over at Yuna. She was unscathed, unlike the rest of us. She went over to Seymour. "Yuna...you would pity me now?" That was what he said with his dying breath. She closed his eyes, and then stood to send him. The floor was covered in ice, and I later learned that she had been taught to send on ice and snow while she was in the chamber of Macalania's fayth.

She began to send him, but the Tromell ran in with two other Guado. As he took in the sight, he yelled, "Stop! What happened here?" Yuna paused in her sending to look at Tromell. I got defensive, realizing how bad it looked. I glanced down at my sword, dripping with the Maester's blood. "It's not our fault! Seymour was gonna kill us! We had to fight back!"

"You did this?" Tromell signaled for the Guado to get Seymour, and they lifted his body gently and began to carry it out of the room. "Stay away from him, traitors!" He slammed the door, leaving us alone. "Traitors..." Yuna fell to her knees, mourning. "We're finished!" Wakka covered his face with his hands.

"Now hold on just a minute!" I shouted. "Seymour's the bad guy! We'll just explain to everyone what happened! And show them that sphere!" Auron gave me a look that pretty much told me to shut up. "It won't be that easy. Let's get out of here." We hurried through the cloister, but when we got to the exit, Tromell and many Guado guards awaited us.

"Give us a chance to explain." Auron said to them. "No need. I already know what I'll tell the other Maesters. Lord Seymour was the leader of the Guado before becoming a Maester." I knew he wasn't letting us go. "Wait, watch the sphere in Yuna's room!" I said, hoping it might give us a chance. "You mean this?" Tromell held up the sphere. Then he threw it to the ground and crushed it underfoot. "No!" Yuna cried desperately.

"The Guado take care of Guado affairs." Tromell wasn't finished with his thought when Kimarhi barreled through the guards. "Run!" Auron needlessly told us. The Guado produced magic like their leader, though only ice. They ran behind us shooting at us, so I ran right behind Yuna and blocked as many icicles as I could with my sword, though some of them pierced me. Out of adrenaline, I kept running. The others weren't having much more luck. Lulu shot lightening at them, knocking off a few. I suddenly stopped running and drove my sword through another, and Auron and Kimahri followed suit. Wakka protected Lulu in the same way that I did Yuna. Rikku just ran.

It didn't take that long to vanquish our enemies, but we still hurried on, leaving a trail of Guado bodies behind us. At that point, I was getting used to killing more than just fiends. And it had felt so good to drive my sword through the back of that monster that tried to marry my summoner.


	35. Ignorance was Bliss

35 Ignorance was Bliss

The gentle snow that had fallen all day had transformed into a heavy storm. The wind was at our backs, though, so it was easier to run. As we fled, I kept looking behind me. Before long, in front of us, I could see a huge form blacking out the entire sky. The others saw it too, but we kept running towards it. My adrenaline was wearing off, and I was starting to feel the pain of the icicles that were still lodged in my back.

That all went away, though, when I realized what the thing in the clouds was. "Sin!" Wakka shouted. Yes, it was Sin. I though for sure that my old man was here to kill us. I never thought in my childhood that he would hate me so much that he would want to kill me. None of us knew what to do. We couldn't escape the creature if we tried, so we just stopped moving.

It was strange. Everything in those short moments was magnified. I looked at Yuna; her eyes danced in terror. I moved close to her, though I knew that I could not protect her. The sounds all became louder. I heard the Hymn of the Fayth, a woman's voice sung it this time. It was so nostalgic. Then a thought hit me, right out of nowhere. Jecht was Sin; Sin was Jecht. My old man was listening to the hymn. He sung the song all the time in Zanarkand.

"Why is it just floating there?" Wakka's hushed voice sounded like thunder. "It's not attacking us." I didn't really think about my reply, but I said it anyway. "I think he likes the hymn." They all looked at me, and Auron gave me a warning glare. "Why do you say that?" Yuna whispered. "Because look, he's so calm." Suddenly, without warning or explanation, the hymn ended. Sin roared. "No!" Auron yelled. The same wind that pulled me up into Sin at the beginning of this nightmare, consumed us. Everything blurred into white in front of my vision. I heard the cries of my friends as I lost awareness of what was happening.

When I could see again, we were all together in a dilapidated city. It was cold and dank. I had a headache from wondering what was in store for us next. Everyone was in utter shock, except for me and Auron. "We-we're not dead!" Wakka stammered. Even Lulu was so surprised that she was speechless. Kimahri looked around with an open jaw. Rikku squeaked in fright. "What do we do now?" Yuna was breathless.

"We wait." Auron was unmoved, though when he first thought that Jecht was going to kill us, even he had been beyond anxious. Nothing happened, we were just standing there, waiting. "Maybe...Sin took us somewhere...Like he took me to Besaid at the beginning of the pilgrimage." I offered. "I don't know." Yuna murmured. Since there was nothing to do, I decided to ask Yuna right there.

"Yuna. Why'd you do it? Why did you agree to marry Seymour?" She looked away, apparently ashamed. "I wanted to confront Maester Seymour about his father, Lord Jyscal. I wanted to convince him to turn himself in to Yevon's judgement." "But in exchange for marriage?" I still could hardly believe it. "Yes, if that's what it took." She answered. "What did he say?" Auron muttered, almost as if he wasn't asking a question. "He didn't say anything... Now, I don't even think it was worth it...I'm sorry. I should have told you what I was going to do...Do you think Yevon will allow me to continue my pilgrimage?" Yuna looked around at the dismal surroundings.

Auron stepped right in front of Yuna, staring her down. "The fayth are the ones that give power to the summoners. Not the temples or the teachings. If the temples try to stop us...then we will defy Yevon if we must." Everyone gasped, and Yuna covered her mouth, taking a step back. "Count me out." Wakka announced. "We have to atone, to make up for the sin that we have committed. There's no way I'm going against Yevon!" Lulu clasped her hands and bowed her head. "We have transgressed, and must face our punishment."

I couldn't believe those people! The guy kills his dad, who also happened to be a Maester of Yevon, plans to marry Yuna, and then tries to kill us all, and they thought that we had sinned! And besides, I was the one who did the honor of actually killing him. If anyone sinned, it was me, and there was not a chance that I was even a bit sorry. I was glad. I was glad that I had saved Yuna from his evil clutches.

Yuna healed us all before continuing. "We must go to Bevelle. We must speak with Maester Mika, and explain what has happened. There is no other way, I think." Wakka nodded. "I agree." The rest of us more grudgingly consented. "So it is decided." Auron stated. "Now we must find the way to get out of here." Easier said then done, I thought. As if on queue, some kind of gas floated up from the ground, sending us all into fits of coughing, and eventually knocking us out.

I woke up in a small pool of water, in the middle of a seemingly endless desert. Rikku was already sitting next to the pool, and Wakka was on the far side away from her, with his arms crossed. I climbed out, and Wakka told me, "Rikku appeared a while after I did. Let's just wait. Maybe the other's will show up." So we waited. Next was Lulu, then Kimahri, and finally, Auron. We waited hour after hour, with no Yuna. With every passing moment, we all grew progressively worried. No one knew what to do. When the sun was reaching its peak, Rikku spoke up.

"Um...I need to tell you all something. I knew where we are. We're on Bikanel Island. I know every cactus in this desert. There's a place that we Al Bhed call home near this spring. Yuna's got to be there! She must have come up first, and some other Al Bhed must've come and rescued her." "Rescued? You mean kidnapped!" Wakka countered. I rolled my eyes at the two's stupid antics. "What does it matter, as long as she's safe? Come on, Rikku, lead the way."

No one bothered to question how we got there. We all just knew that somehow, we'd made it out of Sin alive, and now all that mattered was getting Yuna back, and making sure that she was safe. We traveled for maybe half an hour, all the time with me worrying that Yuna would appear while we were gone, or worse, that she had appeared somewhere completely different.

It wasn't long after that, that I began to sense that something was terribly wrong. I heard loud crashes and smelled smoke, coming from a distance. Rikku started running, though it was difficult to run up and down the sand dunes. When we crested a particularly large one, there below was a huge compound. There were small fires everywhere, and fiends were on the rampage.

"Yuna's down there?" Wakka uttered. "Of all the places! Let's go." Lulu rushed down the dune, without any grace. We charged after her, and I soon took the lead, galloping down the sand mountain. We fought fiends left and right, though our group had become very strong, and we each had our own technique, so we practically tossed aside the fiends.

"Where's Yuna?" I yelled over to Rikku. She looked past me at a young Al Bhed man. "Keyakku!" He looked at her, and at that moment, a fiend wolf jumped on him from behind, and bit the back of his neck, crunching it. "No!" Rikku cried. Kimahri threw his spear at it, and it dispersed into pyreflies. It was too late though, the man, Keyakku, was already dead. "Rikku!" We all turned to see a bald man approach. Rikku ran to him. "Vydran! Fru tet drec? Fru'c yddylgehk ic?" The man shot an oncoming fiend before answering. "Dra Kiytu! Drao lysa vun uha uv dra cissuhanc. Fa luimth'd cdub dras!"

"It's the Guado! They came for Yuna!" Rikku wailed. The bald man went back into the fray, shooting wildly at the fiends. "This way!" Rikku shouted. "To the summoner's sanctum!" Deeper in their home, there were more Guado than fiends, but most of them were already dead or injured. The ones that weren't didn't stand a chance against us.

Everything in their home was utterly destroyed. Fire was all consuming, and dead bodies, both Al Bhed and Guado, were piled up everywhere. It was chaos. We stopped at a large door, and Rikku fought with the many locks. "This place is done for." Even Wakka was sad. Rikku kept working. "You're right...You're right Wakka. This is the only place we Ah Bhed can live in peace...Why'd it have to turn out this way?" Rikku finished the third lock and started on the fourth. Whatever was in this room, the Al Bhed didn't want anyone getting in.

"Rikku, what is the summoner's Sanctum?" Lulu asked urgently. Rikku's reply was quiet, ashamed, even. "The Summoner's Sanctum is where we keep the Summoner's. We keep them safe there." "You kidnapped them." Wakka was too tired to be angry, or at least that's how it sounded to me. Rikku glanced back at Wakka, then back to the fifth lock. "I know it's against the teachings and all that..." Wakka interrupted her. "I get why you did it but..."

I cut in. "Well, I sure don't get it. They might get hurt on their pilgrimage, so you kidnap them? I mean, if the summoners don't do their job, who will beat Sin? You want to protect them, I know. But guardians are there for that. If we guardians do our job right, our summoners will be safe."

Rikku looked back at me. Everyone looked at me. "Right?" I asked. No one answered. Rikku broke through the last lock. We rushed into the room, surprised to find Isaaru and Dona, among a couple other people who were dressed in the summoner's garb. I looked around, desperately searching for Yuna, but it was for naught.

The room was almost completely demolished. It had once been luxurious, I could tell, but now it was in shambles. There was an enormous hole in the wall, rubble and fire everywhere, and Al Bhed bodies scattered across the floor, among a few Guado.

Dona walked up to us. "She's not here. Wait where you are until we perform the sending." "They died, protecting us. It's the least we can do to give them a proper sending." Yuna wasn't there. The Guado had been there. It only brought me to one conclusion. If the Al Bhed hadn't brought Yuna here, the Guado wouldn't have found her, and she would be safe with us. I turned angrily to Rikku. "Why couldn't they trust the guardians to protect the summoners? You Al Bhed have no right to stop their pilgrimages!" Rikku waved her arms at me. "The pilgrimages have to stop! If they don't, the summoner's might defeat Sin! Yunie could, but then she...Yunie will die!"

I shook my head. I didn't know what she was saying. "You don't know, do you? Yuna didn't tell you? The summoners journey to get the final Aeon. With the final Aeon, she can beat Sin, but then...even if she calls it, then the Final Aeon's gonna kill her! Even if she defeats Sin, it will kill Yunie too!"

I got dizzy. I didn't know what was happening. I didn't want to believe it was true. I looked at Auron. "Tell me it isn't true!" "It is." His voice lacked any emotion. I spun around, searching everyone's faces. My breath came in short bursts, I felt like I was suffocating. "Was I the only one who didn't know?" Everything was just like a nightmare. I could hear the sound of metal crashing against metal, gun shots, crackling fire. I shrieked and fell to my knees, covering me ears.

"Lulu! How could you? How could you? Isn't she like a sister to you? I thought you were family." I jumped up. "Wakka, why don't you do something?" Lulu stepped forward. "We tried to stop her! But she follows her heart."

I was sick. Images of the past months zoomed through my mind. So many times I had laughed with her; I told her that we could go to Zanarkand together! I told her all the things we could do there! But Yuna, she just smiled. Tears poured down my face. I was pounding my fist against a wall as hard as I could, but the pain did nothing but confirm that that was not a dream. "I won't let her die!" I yelled as loud as my voice would let me. "I'll find her!"

Some hidden speaker in the ceiling started blaring announcements. "Rikku! Kad du dra yencreb! E's majamehk Rusa!" "No!" Rikku cried. "Hurry! We have to get-we have to get underground! All of us!" Rikku rushed out. Everyone followed. I stumbled after her, blinded by my tears. I fell on the steps, cutting my shin, but I got up and kept running.

Soon we reached wherever Rikku wanted to take us. The bald man from before was shouting something into a microphone. I ran up to him and grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Where's Yuna? Where is she?" He pushed me away. "What'll you do when you find her?"

"I...I don't know! I didn't know a thing about what a summoner is supposed to do. I told her all those things without even knowing. I've got to tell her I'm sorry! And I won't let her die! Somehow, I'll save her! So where is she?" He turned his back on my pleading. "Peh! I don't know! But we're gonna find her!"

The ground beneath us trembled violently, and there was a thunderous roar. We rose from the ground, and soon I realized that we were in an airship. I had only been on one once before.

The roof about the airship slid apart, allowing us to rise into the sunlight. The Al Bhed were bellowing various strings of their language at each other, clearly, they were very unhappy. Soon, they all in unison began to sing a rendition of the Hymn of the Fayth. "What is going on?" Lulu turned to Rikku. "We-we're gonna blow up our home."

"What? How?" Wakka was already literally shaken up about being in an airship, but he also knew that there was only one way to blow something up. "With the forbidden machina!" The bald man proudly announced. "Nayto? Vena!" "Ah, wait!" Wakka couldn't stop them if he wanted to, which, he did. Out of the windows, we could see huge missiles careening towards the home. The bald guy cackled; he was the only one of the Al Bhed who was not lamenting the destruction.

"Who is that, anyway, I whispered to Rikku." She looked at me sadly. "That's Cid, my dad, leader of the Al Bhed." "What are you talkin' all hush-hush about?" He proceeded to march over to a giant sphere in the middle of the spacious cockpit that we were all standing in. "So, how are we gonna find Yuna?" I followed him and gazed into the sphere.

"Don't worry! We're using a sphere oscillo-finder. If she's out there, we'll get her." If she's out there. Those words scared me so much. I don't think I would have been able to bear it, if she was dead. I struggled to maintain control over my emotions.

Cid poured over the sphere for a few moments, pressing buttons and frowning profusely. I just stood there and watched him, breathing deeply. The other's didn't do much either. Auron stepped near us. "After rescuing Yuna, then what. You want to keep her safe, correct? Would you seek to stop her pilgrimage?" Cid had an unusually loud voice. "Of course! If she continues this fool pilgrimage, she will die! Sure as if you killed her yourself." I rolled my head back, trying to relieve some of the terrible pressure I was feeling. I couldn't handle this conversation.

I glanced at the sphere oscillo-finder, and was both horrified and overjoyed at what I saw. "Yuna! Look!" Every gathered round. Yuna stood on a balcony overlooking a great city. I was horrified because of what she was wearing. It was without a doubt, a wedding dress. "Where's that?" "It's the palace of St. Bevelle."

"Well, let's go get her! Come on, let's go, let's go, let's go!" I clapped my hands for emphasis. Cid yelled at the driver, Rikku's brother, the crazy mohawk guy.

The ship quickly gained a considerable amount of speed, making everyone stumble to regain their balance. I looked over at Auron. "Why is Yuna in a wedding gown?" "Yeah, didn't we...take care of Seymour in Macalania?" Rikku's voice squeaked like that of a little child. "Seymour's as dead as Lord Jyscal was. But he also died an unclean death. He was stabbed in the back." Auron gave me a pointed glare. I wanted to hit myself. So Yuna would end up marrying a dead guy cause I killed him by stabbing him in the back!

I paced back and forth until Rikku's brother said with great excitement, "Bevelle! Fa'na lusehk ib uh Bevelle!" "Kuut, ku vycdan!" Cid leaned on the dash board. I could see the city in the distance, and we were quickly closing in on it. There was a magnificent and grandly decorated palace that could be seen from far away, and I assumed that was were Yuna was. My heart was pounding wildly. As we neared the palace in our airship, I could clearly see a legion of guards, and they definitely saw us.

I also saw Yuna and Seymour. Then the guards opened fire, and we started plummeting towards the ground. "Go, go! Get outside, I'll go close to the bridge, you can jump on!" Cid pounded something into the control panel while Rikku's brother steered the ship in the right direction. We rushed outside onto the deck of the ship. The wind was relentlessly buffeting us, and we ended up lying down, clinging to the deck just to stay on.

Cid shot anchors into the bridge below us, so I jumped on, to skate down to get closer to Yuna, faster. It was easier said than done. The thick wires bucked and whipped back and forth. I got on and started down it, but then the other one swung towards me, and I flipped over it. On its rebound, I jumped from the one I was already on, onto it, and rode on it to finish my slide. The others waited until they could get directly from the deck onto the bridge. I don't know how we all got there without getting shot dead. But somehow, we did.


	36. Rage

36 Rage

Along the bridge were hundreds of monks, and they threw themselves in front of me. I pushed through as many as I could without hurting them, but they were swarming me, so I got my sword and gave minor wounds to a few. That was enough to make them back off. The other guardians landed behind me, and together we barreled towards Seymour, brandishing our weapons.

We managed to vanquish a few guards, but their numbers were overwhelming. I got to the foot of the stairs below the altar, where Yuna stood, adjacent to Seymour. Maester Kinoc stood nearby. "Stop! This has gone far enough!" The guards prodded us with their rifles.

Yuna raised her hands high, and a sheet of ice appeared on the carpeted floor below her. Her staff materialized in her hands, and she began to dance. That old guy, Mika, leader of all Spira, was apparently their minister. "Stop!" He called feebly. Seymour gazed at Yuna unamused. "You would play at marriage, just to send me? Your resolve is admirable. All the more fitting to be my lovely wife." He turned to us, pyreflies floating up from his body.

"But do you not value your friends' lives? Your actions determine whether they live or die. The choice is yours." The ice beneath Yuna's feet melted into nothing, and she dropped her wand. It fell at my feet before it disappeared. "You are wise." Seymour smiled. I could see that Yuna was trembling. I was so desperate that I whispered under my breath, "Yevon help her!" But it did nothing.

Mika said a very few words, and Seymour answered, "I do." Yuna just shakily nodded. Then Seymour stepped forward and placed his hands on Yuna's shoulders, his claws digging into her skin. I tried to run up the steps in a blind attempt to stop that vile monster from hurting my summoner further, but a machina gun was shoved at my throat. I had no option but to stand and watch the girl I loved be defiled by a dead man.

He moved to kiss her, and she leaned back. But he pulled her to himself, and their lips touched. I had never in all my life been so furious. All it could have been described as was rage. Pure, utter rage.

And what was worse, Seymour wasn't letting Yuna go. He kept on kissing her. I watched her fist clench, and she tried to get free from his grasp, but it only made him kiss her more insistently. "Stop!" I growled, unable to control myself. Finally he released her, and she stumbled backwards, and wiped her arm across her mouth, disgusted. "Kill him." Seymour sneered at me.

Maester Kinoc pointed a rifle at my head. In an attempt to save me, Auron shouted at him, "Aren't these weapons forbidden by Yevon?" Kinoc took aim. "There are exceptions." I thought for sure it was the end. At that point I was sad, and I was sorry, more than anything. I had failed Yuna, and I was going to die. I looked for her, but she had moved. She was now standing at the edge of the balcony overlooking the city. There was no barrier.

"No!" She cried. "Throw your weapons down! Let them go...or else." Yuna looked behind her, ready to jump. "Yuna!" I yelled. She was mere seconds away from committing suicide. Seymour lowered his arm, and the guards dropped their guns. I would have been relieved if she wasn't in such a dangerous position. "Leave, now!" She called. "No! You're coming with us!" I wouldn't let Seymour go any further with her.

"Don't worry, go!" Her voice was full of urgency. "I can fly." "Get her!" Seymour barked. Guards went towards her, but she looked straight at me, crossed her arms over her chest, and plummeted. Kimahri roared and threw himself off the ledge after her. I tried as hard as I could to believe her, but I was terrified that she was going to die. But then, I saw Valefor in a nose-dive, going right to where Yuna and Kimahri had disappeared from my view. Then I was truly relieved.

"Cover your eyes!" Rikku called. She threw a metal sphere at Seymour's feet. I shielded my eyes with my hands and heard a small blast, and an outline of bright light came through my hands. People screamed. When the light died down, I let my hands down, and saw the guards, the monks, Seymour and the other to Maesters, were apparently blinded. It was a flash bomb.

"Run!" She took off down the long bridge. I bolted up towards Seymour, but Auron grabbed me and held me in a tight arm lock. He dragged me away, and I fought with all my might. "Let me go! I'm gonna kill him!" I shrieked. "He's already dead! It's no use!" Auron kept pulling me along. "We have to go get Yuna!" His words knocked some sense into me. He released me, and we followed the others.

We caught up, and Lulu called, "There is only one place Yuna would go. The trials!" "This palace is also a temple." Auron explained. He went ahead and led us through the labyrinth of a palace until we reached a machina panel. He started pushing buttons, and Wakka gasped. "Why's there machina in the temple? What about the teachings?" A door slid open. "This is Yevon's true face. They betray their own teachings." Auron was calm and collected; he stepped onto the platform in front of us. "Are you coming?" Rikku and I followed him, then Lulu. Wakka hung his head as he, too, got on. "They treated us like dirt."

The trials were entirely built from machina. Gusts of wind blew eerily through the electric sliding panels. It was already solved, presumably by Yuna and Kimahri. Now I was really glad that Kimahri had gone after her. When we got to the anteroom, Kimahri was there. "Yuna in chamber." I ran up to the door and pressed my ear against it. Somehow, I just couldn't believe she was still alive, she was really okay.

Suddenly, it slid upwards. I stepped back, thinking that Yuna was coming out. When she didn't, I cautiously stepped across the threshold. "H-hey!" Wakka sputtered. I spun around. "You can stuff your taboos!" With that, I ran into the dark room. When I entered, a soft glow rose from the center. There lay Yuna, sprawled over the edge of the statue.

Above it appeared the same child in the purple hood that I had seen the night that Sin attacked Zanarkand. He didn't say anything. He looked from me to Yuna, and then vanished. Yuna's wedding gown train was torn off, and white feathers from the dress were scattered around the room.

Suddenly again the the child appeared. "Do you wish to return to Zanarkand?" I swallowed hard. "Excuse me?" "Do you wish to return to Zanarkand. I can send you there right now." I shook my head in astonishment. It had been months since I had ever considered going back to Zanarkand to be a possibility. Now, the offer was right there in my lap. "Can Yuna come too?" I gazed at her lovely face. I knew how much she wanted to go there. And I couldn't leave her there, even if I had wanted to. "She can go, but I cannot send her there. She must find her own way. And there is a way." I gasped, excitement dancing in my chest. "I'll find it with her!" The child disappeared again, leaving me alone with Yuna.

I cradled her in my arms, taking a moment to breathe deeply. I could hardly wait to tell her that we could go to Zanarkand together, after all. Maybe I could get her to quit her pilgrimage and come with me instead. I carried her out of the chamber, and I was rudely met with a gun to the side of my head. We were surrounded by guards. I sighed. My emotions were so mixed up that I was almost too exhausted to be upset...or at least any more upset than I already was.

Kinoc was among the guards. "That's the last of them." He announced to them. He pointed his finger at me, and then at each of us consecutively, as he spoke. "You are to stand trial." At gun point, I carried Yuna back through the trials, and everyone followed. Auron, Wakka, Kimahri and I were put in a cell together, and Yuna, Rikku and Lulu were in another. The cells were pretty much cages hanging by chains over a huge pool of water below us. We swayed back and forth, and I tried not to think about what would happen if the chains broke.

When Yuna finally woke up, before anyone got a chance to even tell her what had happened, the guards escorted us to the courtroom. They pushed Yuna onto a platform which then floated out into the middle of a misty expanse. We were trapped between the wall and a railing separating us from Yuna. Seymour, Kinoc, and an elderly Ronso stood on balconies on the three remaining sides of Yuna.

The Ronso spoke. "The High Court of Yevon is now in session. The sacred offices of this court seek nothing but absolute truth, in Yevon's name. To those on trial: Believe in Yevon, and speak only the truth." Auron tilted his head at the Ronso. "That's Maester Kelk Ronso." Lulu whispered to me, "Stay quiet. Only the one on the platform is allowed to speak to the court. I didn't think that was fair, but I complied.

Kelk addressed Yuna. "Summoner Yuna. You have sworn to protect the people of Yevon, true?" "Yes." She was quiet, still tired. "Then consider: You have inflicted dire injury upon Maester Seymour Guado, and conspired with the Al Bhed and joined in their insurrection. These are traitorous and unforgivable crimes that disturb the order of Yevon. Tell this court what possessed you to participate in such violence."

Yuna glared at Seymour, her husband...her dead husband. "Your Grace..." She replied to the Ronso. "The real traitor is Maester Seymour! He killed his father with his own hands!" Kelk recoiled. "What is this?" He demanded from Seymour. Seymour looked at him, almost as if he was bored. "Hm? Hadn't you heard?" He dismissed it as absolutely nothing.

"Not only that...Maester Seymour is already dead! Maester Kelk, please allow me to send Seymour now!" Yuna beseeched him. Kelk stepped aside, and Mika came forward from behind him, where I hadn't seen him before. "Send the unsent to where they belong?" Mika chuckled. "Maester?" Yuna didn't understand why he was not taking this seriously. "Send the dead, hm. You would have to send me, too."

Before Yuna could say anything, Kelk spoke. "Grand Maester Mika is a wise leader. Even in death, he is invaluable to Spira." "Enlightened rule by the dead is preferable to the misguided failures of the living." Kinoc sounded scornful. "Life is but a passing dream, but the death that follows is eternal." Seymour raised his hands in glory.

"Men die, beasts die, trees die, even continents perish. Only the power of death truly commands Spira. Resisting its power is futile." Mika professed. "But what of Sin? I am a summoner, my lord, like my father before me! I am on a pilgrimage to stop the death that Sin brings. Are you...are you telling me that, too, is futile? Grand Maester Mika, I am not alone! All the people who have opposed Sin...Their battles, their sacrifices...are you telling me that was all in vain?" Yuna was badly shaken.

Mika shook his head at her. "Not in vain. No matter how many summoners give their lives, Sin cannot truly be defeated. The rebirth cannot be stopped. Yet the courage of those who fight gives the people hope. Never futile, yet never ending. That is the essence of Yevon. Yevon is embodied by eternal, unchanging continuity, summoner."

"No! That can't be right!" Yuna was practically wailing. "Those who questions these truths, they are traitors!" Mika declared. "Lord Mika!" Mika waved his hand at Yuna and left, as did the other three Maesters. The guards brought Yuna's platform back, and took us all away. This time, the women were in a different room from us, so I didn't know what was happening to Yuna.

When the guards left, I screamed. I couldn't help it. Everything was going all wrong. We were branded traitors by the court. Whatever that meant for us, it could only be bad. Then I bowed my head, hugging my knees. "Ugh! I hope Yuna's okay." "She's strong. She'll make it." Auron said. I got really mad. "She'll make it? What, so she can die?" I sighed. "Auron, why is it that everything in Spira seems to revolve around death?"

"Ah, the Spiral of Death. Summoners challenge the bringer of death, Sin, and die doing so. Guardians give their lives to protect their summoner. The fayth are souls of the dead. Even the Maesters of Yevon are unsent. Only Sin is reborn, and then only to bring more death. It is a cycle of death, spiraling endlessly."

Then Kinoc walked in. "Come. Your sentence has been decided." The guards made us file out of our cell, and Auron scowled at Kinoc. "Don't you mean execution." "Yes, of course, your execution, if you like being so blunt." My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. "Is Yuna being executed too?" Kinoc chuckled. "Ah, the little guardian boy, thinking first of his summoner. Well you will never know, will you?"

Wakka and I were taken to a room with a hole cut into the floor. Deep inside it was water that looked like sewage. The guards pushed Wakka in, and then Rikku was led into and also tossed in. That was no problem, they just treaded water, not sure what was in store. Kinoc said something to one of the guards, and they attached shackles to my ankles with a heavy weight. I was sure to take a deep breath before I fell, and the weight quickly dragged me to the bottom. Then they shot a harpoon in with perfect aim. It pierced straight through my shin, pinning me to the ground. I released some of my air, but managed not to take in a deadly breath. They put something over the opening so that we couldn't get out, and everything went black, except for a little light far in the distance.

I had experienced much worse pain before, but all the stress made it a lot harder to handle this. I tried to pull the harpoon out of my leg, but it was stuck fast. Of all the ways I thought I could die, drowning wasn't even on the list. Wakka and Rikku swam down and felt their way to me. With both of their strength, they ripped the harpoon from the ground and out of my leg, and I screamed in agony.

I couldn't stop myself. I gasped in the water. It tasted like rotten flesh. Everything went black, and the next thing I remember was that I was being held up against a wall by Wakka and Rikku. I spewed out everything in my lungs, and gulped in the stale oxygen. They let me down, and I started treading water, but there was an incredible pain as water passed in and out of the hole in my leg.

Suddenly the water began to churn, faster and faster. Out of it rose a monstrous creature. It looked kind of like a dragon. We tried to flee, but I could barely swim with my leg. The creature's head came towards me, mouth open wide. It could have easily swallowed me whole, but I took my sword from the air and stabbed it through the back of its through when it tried to eat me.

It was a terrifying, yet easy battle. We swam on for what felt like hours, and my life's blood was seeping away. Eventually, we reached a dimly lit stone room, on land, and pulled ourselves onto it. I could not stand. It hurt way too much. But then I imagined what was happening to Yuna. I imagined her being attacked, and it gave me willpower that I didn't know was possible. I cried as we ran through the maze; with every step, I felt like my shin was going to split in half.

Lulu, Kimahri, Auron and I were tossed into a deep pit, landing on hard packed dirt. I landed and rolled, thankfully avoiding too much injury. Lulu's ankle broke, and I healed it before we went into the intricate maze. Auron led us, and turned right at every corner. He said that was the only way to find your way out of a maze. And he was right. After a few really hard battles with some huge and dangerous fiends, we made it to a long bridge.

At the end waited Wakka, Rikku, and Tidus. Tidus was lying on the ground blood draining from his leg. He was really pale, and I ran to him as fast as I could. "Is he dead?" I was frantic. "No, not yet. It's a good thing you're here!" Wakka was really relived to see me, so was Rikku. I put my hand over his wound, healing it quickly. He sat up, his eyes dull and tired. When he saw me, he looked like he was going to cry. "Yuna..."

"Look!" Auron interrupted the brief exchange. We turned around and saw Seymour, Kinoc, and a couple Guado and Bevelle soldiers. The Bevelle soldier was carrying Maester Kinoc by the nape of his neck. The soldier dropped him, and he fell on his stomach, dead.

"I have saved him." Seymour said airily. "He was a man who craved power. And great power he had, but he feared losing it. Trembling at unseen enemies, he spent his days scheming petty schemes. Chased by his fears, never knowing rest. You see...Now he has no worries. He has been granted sleep eternal. Death is a sweet slumber. All the pain of life is gently swept away. Ah, yes. If all life were to end in Spira, all suffering would end. Do you not agree? That, Yuna, is why I need you. Come, Lady Yuna. Come with me to Zanarkand, the lost city of the dead. With death on our side, we will save Spira, and for this, I will take from you your strength, Yuna, your life, and become the next Sin. I will destroy Spira! I will save it!"  
>When he finished his crazy speech, Tidus yelled at him, "You're totally nuts!" I agreed. Kimahri ran up and stabbed Seymour with his spear. Seymour looked down at it, lodged in his chest. "Unpleasant...Very well. I will give you your death. You seem to want it so." The soldiers and Kinoc dissolved into pyreflies, which flew in circles around Seymour, eventually cladding him in a strange white armor.<p>

"Run! Protect Yuna!" Kimahri shouted. "Go!" Auron hollered. He gave me a rough shove in the direction of the exit. We ran, but I stopped and looked back at Kimahri, who was swiftly losing the battle. "I won't leave Kimahri behind!" "He is a guardian. Protecting you is everything." Auron countered. "Auron!" I cried. Tidus cut in. "That's right, Yuna! We're all you guardians. And you know what that means? Yuna, anywhere you go, I'll follow!" I smiled gratefully at him. "Anywhere I go?" He nodded. "Well then, let's go!" I ran off with him. Without any choice, the others also followed.

With everyone fighting, it didn't take long for Seymour to burst into pyreflies. I didn't get a chance to send him, because I was too busy staying alive; we all were. That meant he was still lurking. But we would have to deal with it later. We fled Bevelle, escaping into the woods of Macalania. So far, that had been the absolute worst day of my life.


	37. Angel's Tears

37 Angel's Tears

Yes, that had definitely been the worst day of my life. I only wish it had remained so. As we escaped from Bevelle, the horrible events filled my mind. Killing a Maester, being branded a traitor, being swallowed by Sin, being roughly dragged off by the Guado... and Seymour kissing me...he might as well have been dissecting me alive. It was awful. It was like he was trying to freeze me to death. His claws had dug deep into my shoulders, cutting them. His lips were like icy torture devices on mine. No, I had never experienced a worse day, not even the day my father left, nor the day my mother died.

I was still wearing my wedding gown. It was short in the front, long in the back, with bare shoulders. It was torn and destroyed, but it was all I had left to wear. We had no rations. Everything was terrible. And I was a married woman. Married to an insane dead murderer who tried to kill us more than once.

Once we were fairly deep into the woods, I put my hand on Auron's arm. "I'm so sorry. I really need to take some time." There was something resembling sympathy in his eyes, though it was more like pity. "That is fine." I wasn't expecting it to be that easy, but when he said that, I ran off into the night. I knew that the Macalania woods were safe; there was hardly ever a fiend there. It was a peaceful sanctuary. Nevertheless, Kimahri followed, to keep watch over me.

Really, I had wanted him leave me alone. I wanted to cry. If I had been alone, I would have cried. But I wanted even more to be strong, or to at least look strong. I ran on and on, trying to let the cold night air wash away my sorrow. It had helped in the past, but this time, it didn't. My misery grew inside me until I was about ready to burst. But I held it all in. I knew that if I had done so before, I could do it again.

Eventually, I came upon a spring. I waded into the warm water, contrasting against the frigidness around me. I gulped in oxygen, having been running for several minutes, I needed to catch my breath. I went deep into the pool, until the water came up to my shoulders. I looked behind me and saw Kimahri standing on the shore. Then Tidus came out of the bushes. Apparently, he had come after us. He whispered something to Kimahri, and Kimahri left.

He slowly approached me, wading through the water. On his face was a look of regret and sadness. "Yuna...I'm sorry...they told me...everything." "Everything?" I quietly asked. "Yeah." He whispered. "Well, so then you know...about the final summoning." I clasped my hands together and searched the surroundings for something interesting, anything to stare at besides his face. "I know...and Yuna...I'm really sorry about all the things I said about...well about everything. I was always rushing us to get to Zanarkand, and to go get Sin...I didn't know what would happen to you, Yuna. I guess...I just hope it didn't make you...more sad." "It's okay..." I trailed off. It really wasn't okay, nothing at all was okay, but none of that was his fault.

"Yuna...Don't do it. Forget about Sin, about being a summoner...come to Zanarkand with me...my Zanarkand." I wanted to, so much, but I just didn't think it could happen. "But how?" He was right near me. "While you were in the Bevelle chamber of the fayth...I went in after you. The fayth told me that he could take me to Zanarkand, my Zanarkand, but that he couldn't take you. But he said that there was a way you could get there. We could find that way, together."

The idea was so tempting. To get away from being a traitor, a murderer, an evil man's bride, get away from my looming death. To go where I've wanted to go since I was a young child. And to go with Tidus. Ever since the day he saved me from drowning in the bottom of the moonflow, I finally accepted that I was slowly falling in love with him. And then, that day, that night, there was nothing I wanted more than to flee the awful, horrible, terrible world of Spira, and go to Zanarkand with him, the one I loved.

I could see the blitzball stadium, all lit up at night. I could watch the Zanarkand Abes play, and I could watch their star, Tidus, play. We could go to those parks he talked about with the crazy rides. We could...I realized right then that I wanted to marry him. Yet I was already married...not to him. And I had a job to do. I loved the people of Spira, even if they were to call me a traitor. I wanted to free them, even at the cost of throwing away my dream.

"Yuna...I know you'd like it there. Come with me." I knew I was going to cry. I couldn't stop it. "I-I'd like to go...someday." I covered my mouth. He spread out his hands. "Well you can." That was it. The floodgates were open. I covered my face. "I can't. I just can't! I can't go!" I wept. More than a decade worth of tears rolled down my cheeks.

Tidus came forward and pulled me into his arms, embracing me tightly. I sobbed, wrapping my own arms around him. He placed a hand on the back of my head, stroking my hair. "It'll be okay. Don't worry, Yuna. I'll protect you. I promise, I won't let you die." I tried to believe him. But it just couldn't be. I was going to die, and there was nothing he, or anyone else could do about it. I tried to be quiet, but I wailed, grief closing in on me, suffocating me. I felt his chest heave. He was crying too.

He held me there like that until I stopped crying. Then he leaned away and brushed the tears from my face. I gave him a feeble smile, which he returned painfully. Then he leaned forward, gently placing his lips on mine, sending a soft warmth through my whole body. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to enjoy his feather soft kisses. It was nothing like Seymour's cold, forceful kissing. It was wonderful in every way that Seymour's was terrible.

I was lost in the moment, and for a few minutes, I could almost forget the troubles that I faced in life. Eventually, it had to end, though. We went to the shore, and I leaned on him as we looked over the glowing surface of the water. Sparkling crystals surrounded the ethereal lake. The beauty was hard to take in before, but then I was at least a little happy.

"If-if I live...take me to Zanarkand, please." He looked down at me and caressed my cheek. "I promise." Another tear slipped down my face. "Oh, Yuna don't cry...I promise, you'll survive. We'll go to Zanarkand and live happily ever after." He was serious with those words, but then he smiled. "If you cry again, I guess I'll have to kiss you again." The corners of my mouth twitch up. "Well, I guess I should cry, then." He kissed me, and I climbed onto his lap, kissing him back. I never wanted to stop.

"Yuna! Tidus! Where are you?" Wakka's voice echoed through the trees. Like lightening I jumped of Tidus' lap scooting a little bit away from him, pretending to be normal. My heart was pounding and I was breathing hard. Tidus chuckled, smoothing out his hair. "We're over here!" He called. "Where in Yevon's name have you been! It's been more than an hour!" Wakka wildly waved his hands around. "We-we were just talking...we got carried away." I stammered. Wakka didn't seem the least bit suspicious that it had been anything more.

"Okay, well anyway, get back to camp! The others are waiting up." We trudged through the woods, following Wakka to where the my guardians had set up our place for the night. We were both soaking wet, and for the first time since we climbed out of the spring, I noticed how cold I was. Everyone except Wakka knew that something was up. Rikku gave me a knowing smile, Lulu a warning look, as if to tell me to be careful. And Auron, well, he gave Tidus an award-winning glare. Tidus ran his fingers through his mussed hair, feeling awkward. "Uh...hey guys..." I was just as uncomfortable, but I was better at hiding the way I felt, than he was.

"We leave at dawn." I said. "And, I'm sorry for putting you all through this...And, um..." Auron cut me off. "Enough. You need your rest." I curled up in a ball, shivering in my skimpy coverings. Tidus laid down nearby, giving me a mischievous grin. I returned the expression. Something about this boy just made me smile, even on the worst days. And yet...then I decided that was both the best, and the worst day of my life.

That night, my dreams were appalling. I woke many times, sweating, even though I found that I was covered in frost. I looked over at Tidus. His skin was bluish in the crystals' light. His face radiated gloom, but then it change to great wrath, then back again. I watched him for a long time, shivering there on the hard ground.

In the coldest part of the night, right before dawn, he had a fit, and made himself wake up because of it. He realized that he was sprawled across the forest floor, and when he saw me, he sat up, as did I. He crawled over and hugged me, rocking me back and forth. "I'll stay with you Yuna. Always I'll stay with you. I'll never leave you. I'll find a way to save you. I promise." I took his hand and squeezed it. "Thank you..." He sighed and let me go as soon as the morning was upon us. The others rose up as a result of the increasing light, and we ate of the large fruits that hung low trees's branches.

We backtracked through the woods until we reached the Macalania Al Bhed shop. There we purchased much needed supplies for the cold, and I got some proper clothing. We rested there for the night, relishing the warm, soft beds.

We spent maybe another week to get through Macalania Forest before we reached the Calm lands. When we climbed to the top of the last hill, There before us lay an incredibly vast field. Far in the distance was Mt. Gagazet, and just beyond the mountain was Zanarkand, city of the dead.

Auron spoke to Tidus. "The Calm Lands. Long ago, high summoners fought Sin here. The road ends here. Beyond there're no towns, no villages. Just endless plains. Many summoners stray from their path and lose their way here." I turned to him. "But, I've always known where to go. We won't get lost."

On the third day of our trip through the Calm Lands, a man dressed as a monk rode up on a chocobo. Tidus, Kimahri, and Auron where immediately on the defensive, but Lulu and Wakka recognized him as a friend. "Father Zuke!" Lulu called. "Long time no see." He said flatly. "You are Yuna?" I nodded. "I am." "Hmmm...You certainly do not look like Maester Kinoc's murderer." I was flustered. "Please, tell us what has happened!" He jumped off his chocobo, holding the reigns tightly. "Maester Mika has issued a personal order. It said that you and your guardians murdered Maester Kinoc and fled. We are to kill you on sight, or so it says." He obviously did not intend to follow through with the order, nor would he be able to, against the lot of us.

"What of Bevelle?" Auron questioned. "Things are calm on the surface, but the depths are turbulent. After the death of Maester Kinoc, Maester Kelk Ronso left Yevon." The monk's eyes traveled around our group, surveying us. Auron smirked ironically. "Convenient. Getting around will be easier with Yevon in disarray." Zuke nodded gravely. "But be careful, my friends. You have been branded enemies of Yevon." My countenance hung. "Thank you, father Zuke, for your warning." Before he climbed back onto the chocobo, Lulu asked him, "You came all the way here just to tell us this?"

He turned around and smiled a bit. "Truthfully, I was a bit curious to see this summoner that you are guarding. I hope her pilgrimage goes well. For your sake, too. Now I must be off. I shall pray for all of you." He rode away, and as he disappeared into the distance, I realized something. I was beginning to feel like Auron did, about Yevon, at least. I almost didn't want the man to pray for us. I found myself despising Yevon. And I hated Seymour. I was oh, so glad that I had escaped right after our vows.

"Who was that?" Tidus looked at Wakka. Lulu didn't give him a chance to answer. "Two years ago, he was a summoner. Wakka and I were his guardians. But he gave up, here, on this plain. Now, he is a monk at the Bevelle temple. This is my third pilgrimag as a guardian. My first...it ended here, too. I have never been to the lands beyond. Mt. Gagazet towers to the north. And Zanarkand lies beyond."

Many weeks passed before we reached the base of the icy mountain. Throughout those weeks, we had to fight and kill more than a few attackers, sent from the temple to destroy us. But we still came out alive.

Just below the mountain was a store of items for traveling summoners and their guardians. It contained thick blankets, coats, cloaks, leggings, rations, and other various items. We gathered what we needed, dawned our new clothes, and went up the mountain. It was a hard, steep climb, but eventually we got to a large terrace.

It was not hard to tell, it was a living ground. There were caves surrounding us, and slowly, several Ronso came out of them, surrounding us. Kelk Ronso also came to us. "Summoner Yuna and guardians, leave here at once! Gagazet is Ronso land, sacred mountain of Yevon. The mountain will not bear the footsteps of infidels!"

One of Kimahri's old foes approached. "Enemy of Yevon is enemy of Ronso! Leave, traitors!" I was mad. Through all the time that we spent in the Calm Lands, my hate for Yevon simmered in side me, until it reached the boiling point. Auron was right. All we needed was the fayth. It had become extremely obvious to me that the precepts were nothing but flowery rules.

"I have cast aside Yevon! I follow the temple no more!" I shouted. "You will die by those words!" Kelk thundered back at me. "So be it. Yevon has warped the teachings and betrayed us all!" I could not help but angrily declare these things to the ex-Maester, because he was the only one out of all Yevon who would listen, even if he was about to kill me. "Blasphemers!" Kimahri's second rival howled.

Lulu tried to appease some of their animosity. "Lord Kelk Ronso, if I may. Have you not also turned your back on Bevelle? But you still guard Gagazet as a Ronso, not a Maester. Yuna is much the same." "Elder Kelk! Let Biran rend them asunder!" The one who broke Kimahri's horn ten years ago, Biran, got right in Kimahri's face. "Yenke too! No escape! Not one!" Yenke, Biran's less intelligent accomplice taunted Kimahri, too.

"We will not flee! We will fight you, we will defeat you, and we will continue on!" I didn't know how we would win, but I said it anyway. "You have been branded a traitor, but still you would fight Sin? Lost to the temple, hated by the people, yet you continue your pilgrimage? Everything is lost! What do you fight for?" Clearly, I had managed to baffle Kelk. I didn't have to think about it. "I fight for Spira. The people long for the Calm. I can give it to them. It's all I can give. Defeating Sin, ending pain...this I can do...and I will."

Kelk shook his head. "Even sacrificing your soul?" He began to walk away. "Ronso, let them pass! Summoner Yuna, your will is stronger than steel. Tempered steel that even the mightiest of Ronso could not hope to bend. Now go! The sacred heights of Gagazet welcome you."

I was very relieved. "We thank you." I bowed deeply to him. "Summoner! We bow to your will! We Ronso will stop pursuers from temple!" Biran raised his fist. "Thank you." My bow to him was much more shallow, as I did not respect him. "We will shine your statue brightest!" That made me a little sad, but I held my head high. "I fear no one will make a statue for a traitor such as I." Yenke stepped forward a bit. "Then Ronso will make! With grand horn on head!" Such an image in my mind was enough to make anyone smile, despite the circumstances. "That...would be wonderful." The Ronso waved us on, and we moved off the terrace into back into our difficult climb. I wanted to see my statue. But I knew I never would.

When we were out of ear shot, Tidus leaned over to me. "Uh...what did he mean, 'sacrifice your soul'?" I bit my lip. "They-they didn't tell you...When a summoner summons the final aeon, my soul will meld with its, and then after it kills Sin...it will destroy both my body and its own...and my soul will...cease to exist." I gazed up at him. His mouth was hanging open, but then he recovered. "That's not gonna happen." He was completely determined, but I feared that it was false hope; I feared that he was just lying to himself.

Later that day, we came upon a large stack of boulders with spears sticking out of it. "These mark the graves of summoners and guardians who failed." Lulu's voice was lacking in the expected emotion, but, that was just Lulu's way. We found more such piles the farther along we went. "Summoners that die up here...they aren't sent to the farplane. I said sadly. "They die alone; there is no one to send them." I shuddered. "Many have become fiends, and they may want Yuna's company." Lulu's voice was a bit hushed. "So where are they?" Tidus looked around, seeing only the snow-laden mountain side. "Most fiends here are nocturnal. They knew we are most vulnerable at night." Auron stated. "Well," Tidus briefly placed his hand on my shoulder. "Yuna will be fine."


	38. City of Dying Dreams

38 City of Dying Dreams

After days of travel, we reached an amazing sight. "Wow!" Was all I could say. There were many thousands of fayth trapped along one towering wall, and five fayth adjacent to that. Each of the five fayth seemed to stand for different things. One was perpetually on fire, another had electricity hovering around it, one was frozen over, and another had a bubbling spring spilling over its edges into a large pool of water, which for some supernatural reason, was not frozen solid. The last one was a beautiful ivory statue.

"Fayth!" I was in total awe. "And someone is using all of them on this wall! Someone is drawing energy from all of them!" A huge blue twisting stream of light rose from the wall, signaling that they were being summoned. Lulu was as astonished as I had been. "Who wields power on this scale, and what could they be calling?" Suddenly, the five fayths' souls arose from their statues. I gasped. "Yuna." I placed a hand on my chest, taking a step forward. "Yes?" "You have come thus far, and you of all people deserve to know. All along your journey, you have been praying to Yevon. Yevon has not been answering your prayers, Yevon answers no prayers, it is all us. When your will, your desire for what we can offer is strong enough, we can hear you, and grant it to you. What we can provide to you and anyone who learns to summon our powers, is fire, lightening, water, ice, and healing." I blinked. They disappeared. "So Yevon's just a fluke?" Wakka face-palmed.

"Oh!" Rikku squeaked. I turned and saw Tidus lying face down next to the wall covered in fayth. "Oh, no!" I ran to him and rolled him onto his back. "What's happening?"

"Zanarkand?" I looked around. One minute I was standing with Yuna and the others in some crazy fayth infested place, and then only seconds later, I was standing in my Zanarkand, in my own home. The spirit of a fayth sat on the floor. He was the child who had offered to take me to Zanarkand back in Bevelle. I blew up at him. "Why'd you bring me here? I was supposed to stay with Yuna! I promised her! Take me back!"

The fayth squinted at me. "Welcome home." He was obviously being sarcastic. "Do you remember me?" "Of course I remember you!" I yelled. He remained completely calm. "I have know you for a long time. A long, long time." With that, he dissipated into nothing. I saw a ghostly image of Wakka. "Hey! What's gotten in to you?" Wakka was replaced by Rikku. "Wake up! Wake up!" Then she was gone. I began to put the pieces together. I wasn't actually in Zanarkand. "Wait...this is a dream." I heard the fayth behind me. "Precisely."

I waved my arms at him. "A dream? I don't have time to be dreaming right now!" The fayth took off his hood. I couldn't help but feel like I had seen him before, perhaps many times. "You're wrong. It's not that you're dreaming. You are a dream." It didn't register. I didn't get what he was saying, at first. "Wha?" The fayth ran, and I chased him out of the house. I gazed out over Zanarkand. It was deserted, but still the same Zanarkand I remembered from nearly a year past.

"Long ago, there was a war." "Yeah, I know, I know. The machina war." I cut into what I was sure was going to be a long speech, but the fayth continued as if I hadn't spoken. "A war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Bevelle's machina assured their victory from the start. Spira had never seen such power. The summoners of Zanarkand didn't stand a chance. Zanarkand was doomed to oblivion. That's why we tried to save it...if only in a memory. The remaining summoners and the townspeople that survived the war became fayth for the summoning. The summoning of this city, of Zanarkand. A Zanarkand that never sleeps. The dreams of the fayth summoned the memories of the city. They summoned all the buildings, all the people who lived there."

I was shocked. "The people...they're just dreams...me, too?" "Yes. You're a dream of the fayth. You, your father, your mother, everyone. All dreams. And if the fayth stop dreaming..." Slowly, Zanarkand around me began to disintegrate. The buildings fell away until all that was left was the platform I was standing on. "No...you mean...I'll...disappear...die...?"

"Each fayth has its own person, building, or other memory. You are mine. If I stop dreaming, yes, you will disappear. But we've been dreaming so long. We're tired. Would you let us rest? Both you and your father have been touched by Sin. Sin, the one around whom all Spira, the spiral, revolves." He vanished. "Wait! What are you saying?" I called into the empty night. "Maybe, you will be the dream that ends our dreaming at last." Then I saw Yuna, standing across the way from me. "Wake up, wake up, please!" She begged.

I jerked upright, knocking my forehead against Yuna's. She ignored it, and gave me a big hug, before shyly letting go, remembering that everyone was watching. Though I think everyone had already figured out the truth, there was an unspoken agreement between the two of us not to tell anyone about our...relationship, or whatever it could've been called. "Are you alright?" She looked really concerned. I shook my head trying to find an answer. No, I was not alright. If what the fayth said was true, then I might disappear, if he stopped dreaming. But I didn't want to believe him, and so I pretended it wasn't true. "Y-yeah...I'm fine." "What happened?" Rikku asked as I got to my feet. "I...I'm not sure...I just kinda passed out...Let's get out of here, this place gives me the creeps."

That night, Yuna woke me up at dawn. "Tidus...you have frozen tears on your face. What's wrong? What happened?" I took off a glove and touched my face. Sure enough, there were icy tear tracks. I rubbed them off. I had a terrible dream that I disappeared right when Yuna called the final aeon, and then she died because I wasn't there to protect her. "I...I don't know...I can't remember what I dreamed about." I lied.

I didn't want to tell her. The first reason was that if it wasn't true, there was no sense in worrying her. It was doubtful that the fayth would lie to me, I didn't see why he would. The second reason was that if it was true, then...well, I didn't know, but I basically wanted to bear the burden of fear on my own. I still didn't know what the fayth wanted me to do to make him stop dreaming, but I sure wasn't going to do it. Yeah, it was selfish, but I still had a selfish streak left from my days back in Zanarkand. I wasn't all selfish, but I think everyone in Zanarkand was a bit, well, self-centered. Anyway, I felt bad for deceiving her, but I felt that was what was best to do, at the time.

We journeyed further, and several more days passed. We reached a small plateau. The sky was unusually clear that morning, from which we could see the Calm Lands in the far distance. Backing the flat ground we were on was a sheer cliff wall, with only a small passage through it. "Zanarkand is on the other side." Auron announced. They began to pass through, But Rikku and I stayed back.

"Zanarkand is on the other side, you know?" Rikku was really worried. "I know." "Yunie's gonna get the final Aeon, you know?" "I know. I still haven't thought of a way out. But we'll get one!" I clenched my fist. "Let's just go to Zanarkand. It'll all come together, I know it." I only half believed what I was saying, but I needed it to be true, it just had to be true, so I said it.

The passage was only wide enough for one person to go through at a time, so I let Rikku go first. As she walked in it, I started to follow. In order to fit, I had to turn sideways, but that was fine. "Ah, the son of Jecht." Seymour's voice sounded out beside me. Of all the places I could be when he came upon me, it had to be stuck between two sheer cliffs. "Hey! Guys! Come back!" Seymour grabbed my arm, pulled me out of the crevice, and tossed me to the ground like a rag doll. I tried to get up to fight, but he kicked me savagely in the ribs, again and again. "Yes, that's for kicking me!" The others arrived, but before they could do anything, Seymour pressed the end of a spear against my temple, pushing my head flat against the ground. "Take one more step and he dies!"

Everyone stopped in their tracks, horrified. He kicked me in the face, drawing profuse amounts of blood from my nose and mouth. He grabbed my collar and picked me up, lifting me high in the air like a trophy. With his spear's point right against my chest, the others had no way of trying to save me. He carried me over to the cliff edge and held me over it, and I thought for sure he was going to drop me. I couldn't say anything, I was choking. "No!" Yuna cried. "No?" Seymour snickered. "Fine then."

He threw me back onto the snow, knocking the breath out of me. He reached his hand out towards me, and with a hideously wicked grin, he said, "And this, this is for stabbing me in the back." Agony ripped through my body. I thought before that I could never experience more pain than the day I almost burned to death on Kilika. But that was ten times worse. I could never have imagined that such pain even existed. I remember thinking that I couldn't possibly be a dream, it hurt way too much.

I went limp, and I could smell rotting flesh, and faintly see some kind of vapor wafting up from my body. "What are you doing to him?" Yuna wailed and ran towards me. "Stop!" Auron yelled, but it was too late. Yuna tripped and fell on top of me. A flash of sparks erupted, throwing her across the ground. Seymour cursed at me, and stop administering the pain. I would have been relieved except for that I was afraid Yuna was dead. Seymour disappeared, and I pulled my aching body across the ground.

The others knelt around Yuna, but they made way for me. "She's not dead, yet, but she is fading fast." Auron removed his hand after feeling for a pulse. Even he was sad. My friends were all mourning. All this way, just for her to die. "No, no, no!" I sobbed. Blood seeped from her open mouth, and I cradled her gently in my arms. My tears poured endlessly down on her face. "This wasn't the way it was supposed to end." Auron said coldly. "You idiot!" Lulu screamed. "Of course it wasn't!" "Yunie!" Rikku wept nearly as much as I did. I was out of my mind. "I promised you! I promised you I wouldn't let you die. I swear it! Wake up!"

She started to choke, coughing up more blood. Her eyes slowly opened. My tears of grief changed to great joy; I cried so hard that day. Everyone except Auron and Kimahri hugged her. I was so happy I would have kissed her right there in front of everyone, except for that both of our faces had blood all over them. "Tidus...are you okay?" She was only thinking of me. Now that she was okay, I did a mental once over of my body's condition, and moaned. "Come to think of it, I'm terrible..." "Yeah, you don't look so good." Rikku commented.

Yuna healed me, and it brought on no weakness to her. "Uh, Tidus, I think you healed Yuna." Wakka was uncertain about saying that, but I decided he was right. "You are a healer...And we had no idea." Lulu shook her head. "Remember what the fayth said...that if you have a strong enough will and desire for something, they can hear you..." Yuna looked at me, sweetly, and I smiled back.

"Wha!" Wakka exclaimed, and we all jerked our heads in the same direction. There Seymour stood, a very pleased smirk on his face. I shivered. I was in terror, actually. I didn't think I could handle another one of his torture treatments. Yuna jumped up and began a sending, but Seymour extended a hand towards me. I cringed, waiting for the pain. Yuna stopped, knowing what was coming. "Yes, that's a good girl." Seymour lowered his arm. "Allow me to say something to the last Ronso. Yours was truly a gallant race. They threw themselves at me to bar my path. One after another" He giggled; he actually giggled. It was disgusting.

I looked at Kimahri, as did the others. He was downcast. I rarely saw him express emotion, but that was one of the few times that I did. Seymour spoke again. "You could end the suffering of this poor Ronso. Allow him to die, and release him from his pain. Spira is a land of suffering and sorrow, caught in a spiral of death. To destroy, to heal Spira, I will become Sin. Yes, with your help. Come with me, Yuna." I tightly gripped the hilt of my sword. 'Come with me, Yuna.' That was my line. "Once I have become the next Sin, your father will be freed." Seymour's eyes locked on mine. Then, he was gone, just like that.

Yuna glared at the ground. "He will become Sin...with my help..." "Lies. Forget them." Auron snapped. "If he becomes Sin, Sir Jecht will be free." "We're leaving." Auron commanded. Yuna ran up to him. "You know something! Tell me!" Auron remained completely silent, not even batting an eye. "Tell me!" Since Auron wasn't going to, I figured it was high time I did.

"Jecht...he's Sin." No one know what to say. They just stared. "Sin is Jecht, Jecht is Sin! I don't know how or why he did it. When Sin is near me, he talks to me. My old man is Spira's suffering." Everyone was clearly in shock, but finally Yuna found her voice. "Even knowing that Sin is your father...still, you know, I must..." I knew she was going to say kill him. And I understood that. He was evil. "I know. It's okay. Let's get him."

"You would fight your own father?" Lulu was even more astonished than before. I snorted. "Yeah. No problem there. I mean, look what he's done!" Wakka scratched the back of his neck. "Uh...'bout your old man...Chappu...I uh...I think I'll just pretend I didn't hear nothin'. I'm gettin' a little confused, ya? Why...Why'd all this have ta happen?" "We'll learn when we arrive. Soon." With that, Auron led our somber group through the last leg of our journey.

"They'll be upon us soon. She has sent fiends to test our summoner's strength." Yuna gazed at Auron. "Who is 'she'?" "Yunalesca." He replied. "You mean...Lady Yunalesca?" Auron searched the icy trail ahead of us. "In Zanarkand, she awaits the arrival of the strongest." Yuna was confused, if only a little. "She...is still here...I mean, her soul?" There was actually a tinge of hope in her words. "She lives as much as Mika and Seymour." Auron crushed her hope with only one breath. "I see..."

"It comes!" Auron shouted, watching a huge beast roaring as it charged towards us. The fight was not easy, but we beat it, with the help of a Bahamut, the aeon of my fayth, the one who dreams of me. I found myself flinching every time beast took a swipe at the aeon.

Soon after we vanquished the creature, the snow began to melt into the ground as we traveled, and eventually we turned a bend and found ourselves on a cliff overlooking the vast city of Zanarkand. The ruins were so many things at once. They were nostalgic, they were beautiful, they were frightening and awe inspiring.

I stood next to Yuna, gazing over the amazing sight. My heart was thundering in my chest, my eyes were stinging. We were running out of time. I had spent countless hours picking apart every possible way to save her, but still I came up with nothing. I took her by the shoulders, spun her in my direction, and hugged her. I tried not to let go, I felt like maybe we could just be that way forever, she wouldn't die and lose her soul, and I would disappear. I wondered if I even had a soul in the first place.

She rested her head on my shoulder, "I don't want to die..." She whispered, quiet enough so that only I could hear. I held her tighter. "I know, Yuna." I couldn't even try to promise to her again that I would save her. I had a horrible sinking feeling inside me that I couldn't save her, no matter what I did, or how badly I wanted to. "Thank you, Tidus...thank you for everything." It was like her last words. "Don't say that. It's not over yet." She didn't get a chance to answer me. "That's enough." Auron grabbed one of each of our shoulders and pried us apart. It was like he was ripping a piece of me away. I think it was the same way for Yuna.

Yuna spoke with the others as they traveled down the mountainside, but I stood and gazed over the city that used to be my home, or at least in a dream. Then something caught my eye. It was a blue sphere, lying at my feet. I picked it up, and held it out in front of me. Only Yuna's voice came out, no image, so I raised it to my ear.

"Sir Auron. Kimahri told me, when my father wanted me taken from Bevelle to Besaid, it was you who told Kimahri. I had always wanted to meet you someday. I am truly glad I had the chance. Having you as a guardian is so great an honor that I don't know how to thank you. Perhaps if I defeat Sin, that will be my thanks to you. And, if you are all listening to this, then I guess Sin is already gone...and so am I, I suppose... Anyway, I just wanted to say, Sir Auron, thank you.

Kimahri...Do you remember the first day we met? I was barely eight. My father had defeated Sin, and all Bevelle was celebrating. Everyone was saying what a hero my father was. I knew that my father had defeated Sin, and then, he was gone, forever. I felt so alone. That night, I couldn't sleep, so I wandered to the outskirts of the city, away from the celebrating crowds. I stood on the bridge in Bevelle where my father and I had parted. I stayed there for a long time. Then, you appeared, Kimahri. You said you were looking for the Daughter of Braska. At first, I was so scared, until I realized what a gentle person you are. When I told you that I was Braska's daughter, you said you would take me as far from Bevelle as you could. You said it was the wish of a man facing death. After we got to Besaid, you tried to leave me in the care of the temple, but I held on to you crying, "Don't go, don't go!" And you listened, Kimahri. You stayed. Kimahri, thank you, thank you so much. And...I've always like your broken horn..."

Wakka, Lulu, I'll never forget my days spent with you, growing up in Besaid. We always played together, us and Chappu. When you refused to let me become a summoner, and I did it anyway...I'm sorry. I've always wanted to apologize. You know, when you tried to stop me then...really, I was happy. I could tell you really cared about me. You were like my big brother and sister...What else...I love watching you play blitzball, Wakka. I even love it when you scold me, Lulu.

Rikku, you're my cousin, and though I only met you a little while ago, I feel like I've been friends with you all my life. You're so kind to me, and you help me to be cheerful. Thank you for trying to protect me but I hope you'll understand someday, this is what I have to do...I'm sorry...thank you for being my friend.

And...I guess that leaves...Tidus...star player of the Zanarkand Abes. You are...I am...well, um...I'm glad-I'm glad we met. We haven't even known each for a year yet...but...well...It's funny. So this is what it feels like. It's a much more wonderful feeling than anything I had ever imagined. Wonderful...but it still hurts. I...I just want to say, thank you for everything. That's why it hurts so much...when I think of us never being together again at all...I'm afraid...no, I shouldn't say that. I'll do that part over. Um..."

"Yunie?" Yuna's long speech was left without an ending when Rikku broke in. I heard some shuffling sounds before the sphere turned off, and all was silent.


	39. Break the Cycle

39 Break the Cycle

After listening to Yuna's goodbyes, it was hard for me to not to cry my eyes out, again. I just couldn't bear to lose her. And furthermore, I couldn't bear to let her soul be destroyed. But she was determined.

I had to run to catch up to everyone. When I did, they were almost at the bottom, in the dead city. Once we got there, twilight was upon us. Even Yuna wanted to stall. "Um...Let's rest here for the night...so I can be strong...for tomorrow." She choked as she said the last word. Tomorrow. Despite how much I tried to tell myself that I could protect her, I feared that it would be the last day I would ever guard my summoner, and the last day I would ever be with the girl I love.

Auron tried to object, but Lulu gave him a very sharp look, and even Auron didn't want to get on Lulu's bad side. We found an open area, and threw some wood together for a fire. This time, though, Lulu let Yuna have the honor of lighting it. Yuna had finally mastered all four elements. I wasn't sure if that would help with the final aeon, but I hoped so.

No one spoke as we nibbled on our stale food. I shoved the rest of mine into my pocket; I couldn't even swallow, though I had eaten almost nothing all day. I got up and walked away, climbing a hill of rubble to look over my fallen city, once again. Soon, though, I tired of the sight, and went resolutely back to the group. I leaned down and took Yuna's hand, helping her to her feet. She was confused, but followed my lead, through the desolation.

When we were far away, I pulled her to me and clung to her. We rocked back and forth, holding to each other for dear life. After a while, I sat down with my back resting against a piece of wreckage. She leaned against my chest, tracing her fingers across my face and down my neck, mesmerized, though I didn't know by what. She ended up with her palm resting over my heart. I could feel its beat reflecting off her hand. It reminded me once again of the fayth's crazy tale about me being a dream.

But still, he also said there was a way to get back to my Zanarkand, and I could even take Yuna with me. Everything was so confusing and twisted in my head, and the more I thought about it, the more pain I felt. Finally I trashed all those thoughts, and focused on this moment, and on the girl I held in my arms. I toyed with her hair, leaning down to kiss her. Her returning kiss was even more fervent than her kisses had been back that night in Macalania.

I loved the way she tasted; the only way I could describe it was pure...with a hint of sweetness. I shifted to get more comfortable, holding her tight. After a long while, she drew back, wiping tears from her face. "I-I don't want to do it! I don't want to die!" She sobbed uncontrollably, falling against me and burying her face in my neck. She wrapped her arms around me, refusing to let go. I hugged her, and we stayed that way for I don't know how long, but eventually, my back started hurting.

I laid down in the dust, and she snuggled up to me. In time, we fell asleep, completely forgetting about her other guardians, who were panicking. I was very rudely awakened when someone grabbed the back of my blitz uniform and lifted me into the air. "What do you think you're doing?" Auron was unusually mad. He dropped me, and I turned to look at him. I had never seen him so furious. It was pretty scary. I looked back at Yuna, who was waking, noticing that her source of warmth was no longer there. "It is fine! I found them." Auron shouted, and soon the others began to arrive.

Of course, everyone was very upset with me, but it was so beyond worth it. "Yuna. You should be ashamed of yourself." Auron rebuked her. She bowed to him slightly. "I'm so sorry...no...I am not sorry. This is my pilgrimage, not yours. Please stop trying to control me." Everyone was shocked. She never spoke to anyone that way...well, except for Seymour.

"Allow me this one last privilege before I die." She was so blunt; it was obvious that she had no intention of letting them tell her what to do. "Fine." Auron grunted, sending a scowl in my direction. Kimahri flicked my ear with his tail. Wakka just looked completely dumbfounded, and Lulu was no less upset than Auron. "I object." She hissed as she walked past us. Rikku followed, leaving us with a half-hearted mischievous grin.

When they were gone, we cuddled together again, new sorrow enveloping us. Her words, 'one last privilege before I die' hurt me. They hurt me badly. She curled up against me, and I almost whispered into her ear those three words that were trapped inside me. I just couldn't. Something held me back; I was afraid that if I told her, it would only make the whole thing more awful. So instead I just kissed her lightly and nuzzled my face into her hair. We slept till dawn broke.

When we returned back to the place where the others stayed, they were already awake. No one was happy; no one cracked a smile in greeting; no one even spoke. That was the last day. I gripped Yuna's hand, but then loosened, realizing that I was hurting her.

Auron took us through the barren streets, and we fought of countless dozens of fiends; all types of them. It wasn't terribly difficult, and by nightfall we made it to our destination. My jaw nearly hit the floor. It was the blitz stadium. My blitz stadium. But I had seen it not even a year ago. Then it had been polished and well...not broken. That one was completely obliterated, yet still recognizable. So my Zanarkand truly was the same Zanarkand, just in an alternate dream dimension...or something like that.

An unsent man came to us. "Journeyer of the long road, name yourself." Yuna came forward. "I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the island of Besaid." He beckoned for her. "Your eyes, my dear. Show me the long road you have traveled." He gazed in her eyes silently for several moments, and I am pretty sure we were all holding our breaths. I did not know what he was searching for, but I knew it was important. "You have journeyed well. Lady Yunalesca will welcome your arrival. Go to her now; bring your guardians with you. Go."

We entered the dome, and I took in the surroundings. It was collapsed inside, and the stands were long since flattened. Suddenly, before us appeared two women, spirits. One of them bowed to the other. "If it might benefit the future of Spira, I will gladly give my life. It is the highest honor for which a guardian might ask. Use my life, Lady Yocun, and rid Spira of Sin." Then they were gone. "Our predecessors. This dome is filled with pyreflies. It is like one gigantic sphere." Auron was solemn. "People's thoughts remain here. Forever."

Soon after, ghostly images of Jecht, Auron and Braska ran past us. I was startled to see my old man...it was strange. After not seeing him for ten years, I actually felt the weirdest kind of sadness about him. I didn't understand why. "Braska, you don't have to do this." Jecht didn't sound too upset, but he wasn't happy either. "Thank you for your concern, but I know that I will." Braska answered. "Fine. I said my piece, then." Apparently Jecht just felt obligated to tell him that.

"Well I haven't! Lord Braska, let us go back! I don't want to see you die!" The image of Auron was so...young... "You knew this would happen, my friend." Braska was so calm, so put together. Yuna was like that, too, except for twice. Those two times we spent together, just us, away from the rest of the world. Yet we were still captive to the grief that it brought, the fear of what it would bring.

"I cannot accept your death." Auron kept pushing for Braska to stop. Braska turned around to face Auron, and he also now faced us. "Auron, I am honored that you care for me so, but I have come to kill grief itself. I will defeat Sin, and lift the veil of sorrow covering Spira. You must understand, Auron." As Yuna's father, Braska, spoke, Yuna stepped forward and reached through his massless body, confirming that he truly was gone. Gone forever.

When we reached the trials, we knew they would be difficult. The floor was almost completely covered in electricity, with only a few spots of safety. Since there were so many of us, that made it harder. It took us hours to figure out the puzzle, but we finally did. I followed her in, and no one tried to stop me. After throwing out the teachings of Yevon, I had no reason to follow the precepts...not like I ever did, though.

My palms were sweating, I could already imagine her being mauled by a creature monstrous enough to defeat even the unbeatable Sin. As soon as Yuna stepped into the musty room, she knew something was wrong; I could tell. "Everyone! Come in!" They crowded into the room. "This isn't a fayth! It's just an empty statue!" Before any of us could say anything, the same unsent man from before appeared. "That statue lost its power as a fayth long ago. It is Lord Zaon, the first fayth of the Final Summoning. What you see before you is all that remains of him. Lord Zaon...his soul is gone."

"Gone?" Wakka shouted. "You mean, there is no Final Aeon?" I could hear true hope in Rikku's voice. I had to admit to myself that I felt it too. "But fear not." The old man said. "Lady Yunalesca will show you the path. The Final Aeon will be yours." He raised his hands in the air. "The summoner and the Final Aeon with join powers! Go to her, now. The lady awaits. He gestured at the back of the chamber where a pale blue portal was. It hadn't been there before. When I looked back at him, he was no where to be seen.

Yuna approached the portal, but I reached after her. "Yuna, wait!" "You knew this would happen, didn't you?" I looked to Auron, anger flashing in my eyes. "Yes. But if I had told you the truth, would that really have stopped you from coming?" Auron carelessly flung his words around. "Yuna." Kimahri began, but she cut him off. "I'm not going back." "Kimahri knows. Kimahri goes first. Yuna is safe. Kimahri protect." That was about the second time I had heard Kimahri speak during the whole journey. She nodded, and we filed through the portal, one by one.

Inside was both majestic and eerie. As soon as we entered, a scantily clad woman came down a set of stairs, quietly speaking to us. "Welcome to Zanarkand. I congratulate you, summoner. You have completed your pilgrimage. I will now bestow you with that which you seek. The Final Summoning will be yours. Now, choose." She swept her hand across the room. "You must choose the one who will become your fayth of the Final Summoning." Our gasps and cries of shock filled the room, but she just kept going.

"There must be a bond between the chosen and summoner, for that is what the Final Summoning embodies: The bond between husband and wife, mother and child, or between friends. If that bond is strong enough, its light will conquer Sin. A thousand years ago, I chose my husband Zaon as my fayth. Our bond was true, and I obtained the Final Aeon. There is nothing to fear. You will soon be freed of worry and pain. For once you call forth the Final Aeon, your life will end. Death is the ultimate and final liberation. Your father, Braska, chose this path." She abruptly turned and walked away, leaving us with another scene from Braska's pilgrimage.

Auron was still trying to convince him to stop. "It is not too late! Let us turn back!" Braska had obviously grown tired of Auron's attempts to chance his mind. "If I turn back, who will defeat Sin? Would you have another summoner and his guardians go through this?" "But...my Lord, there must be another way!" Jecht spoke up, "This is the only way we got now! Make me the fayth. I been doing some thinking. My dream is back in the other Zanarkand. I wanted to make that runt into a star blitz player. Show him the view from the top. But now I know there's no way home for me. I'm never gonna see him again. My dream's never gonna come true. So make me the fayth. I'll fight Sin with you, Braska. Then maybe my life will have some meaning..." Auron was desperate. "Don't do this, Jecht! If you live, there may be another way! We'll think of something, I know!" Jecht waved his hand at Auron. "Believe me, I thought this through. Besides, I ain't gettin' any younger, so I might as well make myself useful."

"Jecht." Braska began. "What! You're not gonna try to stop me, too!" Braska shook his head. "Sorry. Thank you, Jecht." He and Jecht started up the stairs. "Lord Braska, Jecht! Sin always comes back. It comes back after the Calm every time! The cycle will continue and your deaths will mean nothing!" "But there's always a chance it won't come back this time." Braska was a little nippy when he said that. Jecht smiled at Auron. "I understand what you're saying, Auron. But I'll find a way to break the cycle. Trust me, I'll think of something."

The present-day Auron sighed. "And the cycle went on." "If one of us has to become a fayth...I volunteer." Lulu offered gently. "Me too, Yuna." Wakka was pretty sad, but he wanted to help, and was willing to give his life; we all were. I was desperate. Yuna was so close to forfeiting her life. "But that won't change anything! You'd bring the Calm, then what? That won't break the cycle!"

"Listen...You wanna defeat Sin and Keep Yuna alive. That's just not gonna happen." Wakka bowed his head" "If you want everything, you will end up with nothing." Lulu studied the floor. "But I want everything! It's not too much to ask!" I was really worked up. Wakka frowned at me. "Now you're being childish!"

I threw my hands up. "So what would an adult do, then? They know they can just throw away a summoner, then they can have whatever they like! You're right, I might not even have a chance. But there's no way I'm gonna just stand by here and let Yuna go! And what Auron said about there being a way, I think it's true."

"You'll 'think of something'?" Rikku quoted Jecht's words. "I'll go ask Yunalesca. She's gotta know something." "You really think she'll help you?" Rikku was doubtful. "I don't know, but I have to try." I looked to Yuna. Our eyes were caught in a dead lock. She spoke softly, yet with determination. "I could just let my fate carry me away...following the same path my whole life through. But...I can't. What I do, I do with no regrets. Let's go." She led us up the stairs, and we entered Yunalesca's room.

Yunalesca waited for us there. "Have you chosen the one to become your fayth? Who will it be?" Yuna was hesitant. "Might I ask something first? Will Sin come back, even should I use the Final Summoning to defeat it?" Yunalesca's answered coldy. "Sin is eternal. Every Aeon that defeats it becomes Sin in its place. And thus is Sin reborn." I understood, then. That was why my old man became Sin. "Sin is an inevitable part of Spira's destiny. It is never ending."

Everyone was astonished, except me. Somehow, I saw it coming, yet it was sickening. "Never ending? But...but if we atone for our crimes, Sin will stop coming back! Someday it'll be gone!" Wakka couldn't believe it. Yunalesca remained silent. "This...this cannot be! The teachings state that we can exorcise Sin with complete atonement! It's been our only hope for a thousand years!" Tiny flames danced at the tips of Lulu's fingers. "Hope is comforting. It allows us to accept fate, however tragic it might be." "No!" I yelled at Yunalesca. At the same time, an image of the young Auron appeared. "Where is the sense in all this?" He demanded. "Braska believed in Yevon's teachings and died for them! Jecht believed in Braska and gave his life for him!" An image of Yunalesca stood before him. "They chose to die...because they had hope." He let cried out as he charged at her. She extended her palm and sent him flying across the room with an energy blast. The ghosts disappeared.

"Once again, who will be your Final Aeon?" I thought that Yuna couldn't possibly go through with it now, and for that I was grateful, though it was an atrocity that Sin might never be vanquished. "No one." Yuna's words brought a breath of fresh air to me, and I finally had hope that I could spend my life with her, even if it was a life fraught with troubles, I would still spend it with her.

Yuna continued. "I live for the people of Spira, and I would have gladly died for them. But no more! The Final Summoning...it is a false tradition that should be thrown away!" Yunalesca looked at her as if she was a stupid child. "No. It is our only hope. Your father sacrificed him to give that hope to the people. So they would forget sorrow." "You are wrong." Yuna's voice was nearly a growl. "My father...my father wanted to make Spira's sorrow go away! Not just cover it up with lies!" Yunalesca shook her head. "Sorrow cannot be abolished. It is meaningless to try." "My father...I loved him. So I...I will live with my sorrow, I will live my one life!" Yuna continued. "I will defeat sorrow, in his place. I will stand my ground and be strong. I don't know when it will be, by someday, I will conquer it. And I will do it without false hope!"

"Poor creature." Yunalesca pitied her patronizingly. "You would throw away hope. Well...I will free you before you can drown in your sorrow. It is better for you to die in hope than to live in despair. Let me be your liberator!" She began to change forms. "Now!" Auron shouted. "This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain or live and fight your sorrow! Your fate is in your hands!"

Kimahri stepped forward. "Yuna needs Kimahri. Kimahri protect Yuna." "I'm fighting!" Rikku squeaked. Wakka face-palmed. "I can't believe we're gonna fight Lady Yunalesca! Gimme a break!" Lulu stared him down. "You can always run" "Hah! No way! I'd never forgive myself if I ran away now!" "My thoughts exactly." She replied. "Yuna!" I took a fighting stance, ready for battle. "Let's see this thing through together!" "I will fight you! I will defeat you!" Yuna yelled at the woman-turned-monster.

We fought, and we fought hard. Twice we thought that we had finished her, but she kept changing into different forms. When we really did destroy her. She fell to the ground, once again human. "If I die, so does the Final Aeon. And with it, Spira's only hope." I pumped my fist, still full of adrenaline from the fight. "We'll find Spira a new hope!" She started dissipating. "Fool. There is no other way. Even if there was...even if you destroy Sin, Yu Yevon the immortal would only created it anew." "Yu Yevon?" Yuna was breathless. "Ah, Zaon, forgive me...Spira has been robbed of the light of hope...All that remains is sorrow." With her dying words, Yunalesca vanished, never to be seen again.


	40. The Wages of Sin

40 The Wages of Sin

"I cannot believe what we just did." Yuna whispered. I refused to think that we just destroyed the only way to bring peace from Sin. "Let's do something even more unbelievable. Let's destroy Sin. So it won't come back, and without the Final Aeon." Yuna looked at me, a sweet adoration in her beautiful bi-colored eyes. "Yes, Let's." Everyone voiced their agreement, and we left Yunalesca's lair. While the others left to return through the trails, Auron stopped me. "We must talk. There is something you should know." I was pretty sure already what it was about. "I know...it's about you, right?"

"I am also an unsent. You are not surprised." He confessed, but didn't really feel guilty about it. "I think I kinda knew. It was Yunalesca, wasn't it." He looked at me, unblinking. "When Braska and Jecht died defeating Sin...I just couldn't accept it. I came back here...tried to avenge them. But she struck me down. Somehow I made my way back to Mount Gagazet. Kimahri was there, hunting. I told him about Yuna, just before I died. I've been wandering ever since, never going to the Farplane.

I didn't know how to react, though. "Auron..." "Don't make that face. Being dead has its advantages. I was able to ride Sin and go to your, to Jecht's Zanarkand." "And you've been watching over me since then, haven't you? Why? What's the big idea? Why me?" "I will show you." He knelt, and a few pyreflies rose from him. Jecht and Braska appeared, presumably as seen through the young Auron's eyes.

Jecht looked at him. "Can I ask you one last favor? Uh...nah. Never mind." "Out with it!" We heard Auron's voice. "Okay. Listen good. Take care of my son. My son, in Zanarkand. He's such a crybaby." I winced. "He needs someone to hold his hand. Take care of him, will you?" Auron spoke again. "But how am I supposed to go to Zanarkand?"

"Hey, you said it yourself! There must be a way to get there, right? You'll find it." Our view shook, possibly because Auron was nodding his head. "Alright, I will. I give you my word. I'll take care of your son; I'll guard him with my life." "Thanks, Auron." Jecht approached and I think he hugged Auron. "You were always such a stiff," Jecht said, "but that's one of the few things I liked about you." Jecht chuckled at his own joke. The vision went away, and Auron rose. "That is why."

We left the dome, and outside the airship waited. We boarded, and Rikku's brother said something in Al Bhed. Cid turned around to view us. "Aren't we a happy lookin' bunch." His words oozed sarcasm. Rikku's brother bellowed the same Al Bhed words as he had before. Rikku waved at him. "Ur crid ib!" I couldn't help but notice that the siblings didn't have a very good relationship.

We all stood around, silently racking our brains for something. "Uh..." I started, still trying to formulate my thought as I spoke. "Remember, back at the Macalania temple, Sin was calm when he heard the hymn. Maybe that's one of the keys..." Eyebrows raised in reaction. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it before.

"Yes. Sin...violence incarnate, listening peacefully." Lulu breathed. "If we attack Sin head on, we have no chance of survival." Auron was blunt with that statement...though he was always blunt. "But if he hears the hymn of the fayth, he will become docile. Then we may have a chance."

"Must learn more." Kimahri said. "Find Mika. Make him talk." "Yes!" Rikku squealed. "Dyga ic du Bevelle, bnuhdu!" Rikku's brother rolled his eyes. "Oac, ouin syzacdo!" Then he put the ship into overdrive, blasting through the air.

We took our seats on the benches around the edges of the bridge, and Yuna sat as close to me as she could without being in my lap. I smiled, truly realizing that there really was hope, and a lot of it. I decided after we beat Sin, I would propose to her. There was no reason not to. I loved her with all my heart, and it was obvious to me that she returned my love. I took off my gloves so I could hold her and feel her skin with my own. I glided my hand across her arm, not caring about pda, as we called it back in Zanarkand. She got the picture, and rested her face in the crook of my neck. I eyed the other guardians, who were pretending to not notice our display. We cuddled all the way to Bevelle, but once we arrived, we were all business.

The airship lowered right outside of Bevelle, and we entered the city. "Infidels!" One of two guards sneered at us, and both raised their guns. I think we were all pretty used to all this gun pointing, death threat kind of thing. "Man, don't these guys ever give up?" Wakka wasn't scared, he was annoyed. "You'll regret showing your faces here! We'll strike you down in the name of Yevon!" The other guard gripped his gun tighter. "Ha!" I laughed. "Yuna?" She gave me a genuine smile and pointed between the two guards, to make sure she wouldn't actually hit them. A flash of lightening came from the sky, making the guards jump. It was at that point that they actually recognized that they and they're little guns were no match for us.

"Stop!" Shelinda ran out of the city gates, waving her hands. The guards lowered their rifles. "Captain?" I laughed, trying to cover it up as a cough. If they made Shelinda, of all people, a captain, Yevon must be completely desperate. She was frail, to say the least. "Lady Yuna is not to be harmed!" Shelinda cried with her tiny little voice. "She's no traitor! That is an evil rumor spread by the Al Bhed!" "What?" Rikku shrieked. "Maester Mika himself told me." The guards were clueless. "Then...what are we to do?" One of them asked. "Stand down!" Rikku made her best impression of a command. "As she says!" Shelinda gestured for them to leave, and they did.

"What was that about evil Al Bhed?" Rikku shook her fist at Shelinda. "I...truly do not understand it myself. All Yevon is in a state of confusion. Why, yesterday, they called me out of the blue and made me captain of the guard!" Auron smirked. "Short on believers?" Shelinda motioned dramatically with her hands. "Yes, the chaos in the temples is worse than I'd imagined. It's horrible! All the priests do is blame each other! I worry of what will become of Yevon. But no! I must be the rock that stands against the swirling tides, right? Lady Yuna, I must say, your courage has been a great inspiration to me...But...actually, my lady...why are you here? Instead of on your pilgrimage, I mean?" Auron stepped menacingly forward. "That is of no consequence to you. We came to see Maester Mika. Is he here?"

She was taken aback, but she recomposed herself. "Yes. I shall arrange an audience. Please wait in the courtroom. Shelinda walked away, but Rikku called after her. "Hey, wait! What was all that about the Al Bhed lying and stuff?" The door slammed behind Shelinda before she heard Rikku, so Auron answered what Shelinda could not. "Simple. Yuna has become Mika's only hope." Rikku wasn't satisfied, but she settled. "Just what does he think he can get away with?" Lulu was just thinking out loud. "It's time to teach him some manners!" I dawned a mischievous grin. "Yes, lets!" Yuna ran into the temple, and we followed.

When we got to the courtroom, the room where our executions were decided, Mika was already there. "Why are you here? You must go and defeat Sin! You have obtained the Final Aeon from Yunalesca, have you not?" "Well we did meet Yunalesca..." I trailed off. "We fought and defeated her." Yuna was resolute in her answer. "What?" Mika screeched. "Summoners and guardians will be sacrificed for the Final Summoning no more!" Auron proclaimed with a tinge of happiness in his own gruff way.

"You have profaned and subverted a thousand-year-old tradition! Fools! Infants! Do you realize what you have done! You have taken away the only means of calming Sin!" "It's not the only way!" I stamped my foot. "Preposterous! There is no other way!" He bemoaned. "Spira has lost its only hope. Destruction is inevitable. Yu Yevon's spiral of death will consume us all! I have no desire to watch Spira die." "It won't die!" Yuna was determined. "Who is this Yu Yevon guy?" I inquired. "He who crafts the souls of the dead into an unholy armor. An armor called Sin. Clad in it, Yu Yevon is invincible. And the only thing that could have pierced that armor, you have destroyed! Nothing can stop it now!" Mike sent himself with a breath, fleeing to the Farplane for eternity. "Disappear on us, will ya? Rotten son of a shoopuf!" Wakka babbled.

My fayth appeared in front of Yuna, and I saw it to. "Come to my room." It said. We looked at each other. Yuna turned to Auron. "I must go see the fayth." She took my hand and led me without waiting for his answer. When we about to enter the trials, I took a deep breath, ready for another exhausting ordeal. We went inside, but what greeted our eyes was surprising. Instead of the maze of floating floor panels that it once was, it was simply a path of light, leading right to the anteroom, in the distance.

We jogged there, and all the while I worried about what we were going to learn next. We soon reached the chamber, and the door slid open for us. Inside, my fayth floated above his statue. "Hello." "I must thank you for the aeon." Yuna bowed to him. "So...what's up?" I was afraid to hear the answer. "Have you found a way to truly defeat Sin?" He asked. "I think we have." Yuna was almost too in awe of the possibility to speak.

"Well," I began, "First, we use the hymn of the fayth to calm Sin, Jecht, and then we destroy it, and then we fight Yu Yevon, and kill him." "Yes...If you defeat Yu Yevon, it will end. Tell me, what do you know about Yu Yevon?" The fayth was almost...hesitant. "He's what makes Sin come back." I smiled, thinking if we could conquer him, we would bring a Calm that would last forever. "Sin is his armor. It protects him." Yuna added.

The fayth continued our description, enlightening us. "Yu Yevon was once a summoner, long ago. He was peerless. Now he lives for one purpose only: to summon. He is neither good nor evil. He is awake, yet he dreams. But...maybe not forever. Even when a summoner defeats Sin with the Final Summoning, Yu Yevon lives on. He joins the Final Aeon and transforms it into a new Sin. Then, protected by this new Sin he has created, Yu Yevon continues the summoning. Yu Yevon lives inside Sin. Yuna, listen.

When you fight Yu Yevon, we will help you. Promise me you'll summon us. Your swords and magic will not be enough. Please, call us. Promise?" "Yes." Her tone was hushed. He looked to me. "But, you know...when it is all over, when Yu Yevon dies, when he stops summoning, we will wake, and our dream will finally end. Our dream will vanish."

My face twisted in grief. So we would defeat Sin forever, but for it, I would forfeit my existence. I would never propose to Yuna; I would never get to spend a single day of the Calm with her. I clenched my jaw, fighting my natural reaction, trying not to let it show. "Our dream must return to the sea, from whence it came." With those last, urgent words, the fayth disappeared, leaving us alone. I held my head high, forcing tears back.

"What did he mean, our dream will vanish? What are they dreaming about?" I waved Yuna's question off. "I think he means that you won't be able to call the aeons anymore...or something like that." I blatantly lied, and I felt even worse this time than the last. "Hey, come on! Don't make that face! We're going to beat Sin! Let's see some cheer, okay?" I did my best impression of a smile, but it was hard.

"You're hiding something." She frowned at me. I raised my hands defensively. "I'm not! Now, let's go!" I walked out, but before I left, she said to me, "You're a bad liar, you know that?"

We didn't speak all the way back to the high bridge where the others were waiting. Shelinda was there, talking with them. Shelinda left, and Rikku said to us, "We told her to tell everyone in Spira that a ship in the sky will sing the hymn of the fayth. When they hear it, they need to sing along. That way, the hymn will be really loud!" "Good." Yuna's mind was elsewhere. "Well, let's go back to the airship!"

Rikku was really happy and bouncy, obviously because Yuna wasn't going to die, after all. What was sad that though Yuna wouldn't lose her soul for the Final Summoning, I would lose my existence for the final battle. I was willing, though. Spira needed freedom, and I was willing to exchange everything I had to give it to them.

When we went into the airship, I took Yuna's hand and led her into a back room. I shut the door behind us and leaned weakly against it. "What's wrong?" She whispered. "Yuna...I can't keep lying to you. It's really hard to explain, but...well...My Zanarkand, it's all a dream...not my dream, but the fayths'. That's what Yu Yevon is summoning. And...I'm part of that dream...which means that...when Yu Yevon dies, their dream ends...and so do I." I couldn't even look at her as I spoke.

I finally got the nerve to, though. On her face was bewilderment and great sadness. Her eyes filled with tears, and she blinked, letting them roll down her cheeks. "Oh, Tidus..." She wrapped her arms around me, bawling into my shoulder. I cried too. I didn't understand why it had to be this way. It was all crashing down on me. By tomorrow, I would be no more. I would stay with her always? That was just a lie, a stupid lie. Those three, priceless words would have been so easy to say. I wanted to tell her; I even needed to. But I knew it was better that she never knew. It might make it hurt her a little less when I left.

I shook with my gasps for breath between sobs. After a long time, Yuna pushed me away for a second, then put her arms around my neck, pulling me to her. She kissed me fiercely; I could taste our tears on her lips. I put one hand on the back of her head, and the other tightly around her waist. Just then, ruining our moment, the door burst open, knocking me down. I fell on top of her, and twisted around to see Wakka and Lulu.

We stared at them; they stared at us. "Uh..." Wakka scratched the back of his neck. "What're you cryin' about?" Lulu was blushing. "Just leave." It came out little more harshly than I had intended. "Yeah, we'll do that...come on, Lu." They stumbled out of the room, gracelessly. Yuna and I looked at each other, smiled a bit, and started crying again.

Our lips reconnected, but soon I trailed kisses down her jaw to her neck. She sighed as I explored the new experience. I nibbled her ear, and she gripped me more tightly and squeaked. I went back to her mouth, softly biting her lip. After another long kiss, she giggled and played with my ear using her tongue. I inhaled sharply. It felt so good.

Eventually, I crawled off of her and helped her to her feet. "We-we should go." I mumbled, straightening my vest. She twirled a lock of her hair around her finger, suddenly feeling awkward. "Yes...you're right." We wiped the remaining tears from our faces and composed ourselves. I opened the door for her, and we went back to the bridge.

"Where've you been?" Cid hollered. "Uh...talking." Was my lame excuse of an answer. Rikku grinned hugely. "Uhuhhh!" "Shut up!" I quickly corrected myself, though. I was getting really edgy. "Sorry Rikku...I didn't mean it." "Oh, it's okay! Who couldn't be happy when we're about to defeat Sin?" She bubbled. I looked away to give myself a second to fight my tears.

"Vydran! Vydran! Ceh ec eh dra cay hayn Luca!" Rikku's brother was panicking. Cid thrust his hand forward. "Mad'c ku kad res!" Rikku sobered up. "Guys, this is it! Sin's near Luca, we're goin' to get him! Vydran! I'm countin' on you!" Cid turned some bars up on the dashboard, and a recording of the Hymn of the Fayth from Macalania Temple blared from speakers outside the ship. As we flew over Spira, people heard it, and sung.

When we passed Luca, tens of thousands of voices could be heard from the city. Then in front of us, through the front window, we could see Sin. Chills ran down my spine. I was overwhelmed. In a way, just like with the Final Summoning, I had to lose everything in this battle to win. I took in the full sight of the monster. I could hardly believe we were going to fight it. But I had to believe we would win.

"Yu Yevon is hiding inside Sin." Yuna said. "So how we gonna get inside?" Wakka looked to me for direction. "The easy way! How else! If we can't get in through his mouth, we'll rip a new hole open!" Cid laughed at me. "Now that's what I call a plan!" Sin floated in the sky above the sea. We were miles from Luca, yet we were still close, because of the unfathomable massiveness of Sin.

It floated there quietly, docile from the hymn, as we had hoped. "Alright, let's give this thing a new blowhole!" Cid pounded a large red button on the control panel. The ship recoiled, and thunderous roar sounded from Sin when the lasers connected. Sin had no shield this time, unlike with operation Mi'ihen. Strangely enough, Sin remained peaceful. I thought that maybe, somehow, Jecht was stopping it from retaliating.

The laser's target was Sin's arm, which broke off and fell into the sea below. We circled Sin, who turned with us, but eventually we got a shot at his other arm. This time, there was a reaction. Sin collected a huge ball of black energy, and was about to shoot it at us. I thought that was the end of our futile battle, but then Sin tilted its head down slightly, shooting it just below us and into the water. It tore through the sea, making a tidal wave-sized splash that grazed the bottom of our vessel, hurdling us through the sky.

When Rikku's brother got us under control, Sin's mouth was hanging open, a yellow mist seeping out. "Go! Go!" Cid waved wildly at his son, who sped us into the huge cavern. "Ed ev ujan! Tra syeh kih, ed ec pnugah!" He squawked, trying to return to open air, though our exit was gone. "Dr-dryd lyhhud pa!" Rikku held her hands on the sides of her head. "The main gun's busted!" "We have to get out!" Cid was getting reckless, pounding on the control panel. "No, stop! We got this! Right guys!" Everyone vocally agreed with me, so we went on. Cid was worried though. "If you think you can do it..."

"We will go to the deck." Auron marched out of the bridge, and we all followed suit. Out on the deck, we took in our surroundings. The air was heavy and moist, smelling of death. Brown clouds weighed down the atmosphere, and the whole area was lit with tons of pyreflies. They were not the pretty blueish-rainbow ones that resided in Spira, these were a sickly yellow-red color. Then I heard something I wished I would never hear again. Seymour's sinister laugh.

A massive image appeared in front of us, of a portion of his face. It swiftly approached, and we passed through it. I felt stinging particles brush across my skin, making me shudder. Everyone had similar reactions. "Tidus!" Yuna grabbed my arm. "Sin is reborn when Yu Yevon merges with an aeon! That's what Bahamut meant! 'Call us' We-we have to...to destroy them! The Aeons..." She bowed her head. "I never thought it would come down to this..."


	41. The Price of Freedom

41 The Price of Freedom

Tidus looked back at me as I said those words. "I never thought it would come down to this..." I always thought I would go on my pilgrimage, die, bring the Calm, and that would be it. But this was so bittersweet. We would bring an eternal calm, but I would lose the one I love in the process, and not only that, we had to kill the aeons who had helped us all along the way.

I knew though, that was no time for second thoughts. We had to do it. We had no choice. The airship landed on the wet ground, and we ran through the sticky liquid. I didn't know where we were going, or why, I was just following Auron. We approached a set of steps, and when we ascended them, there before us stood none other than my villainous husband. He disgusted and terrorized me on every possible level. "Yuna." He reached out as if to hug me. I spat in his face, and he wiped it off, scowling.

While he was so foolishly distracted with me, despite Tidus' obvious fear of him, Tidus took his sword and hacked into Seymour's back. Seymour's eyes widened and he fell forward. I stepped aside and let him hit his head on the steps. "Yuna! Send him! Hurry" Tidus kept attacking the Guado to keep him from interfering with my sending. Soon, blood red pyreflies were all that was left of him, floating up to join the countless others. That was a relief. One more evil that Spira would never have to live with again.

Auron led us deeper into Sin, and we found ourselves in a bizarre room filled with floating buildings. At the far end of a long bridge was Jecht, with his back to us. Tidus moved to the front of our group, fists clenched, his eyes boring a hole through Jecht. "Why?" Tidus asked softly. "Why?" His voice rose. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry, son, for operation Mi'ihen...the fires...the Al Bhed...that wasn't me. Sin is taking over my mind. It uses me, my voice. It controls me! I can't help it!" Tidus breathed deeply and slowly. "I don't care. You need to die." Tidus was sad, I could tell, but he was trying to bury it with anger.

"Well, then...I mean...let's end this." Jecht held his hands out at his sides, forming a cross. "Take your best shot." Before anyone could do anything, he stumbled around, as if possessed. He fell off the edge of the platform he had been standing on. We all watched in horror, as from below rose Braska's final Aeon, albeit much smaller than the original.

We fought it with the aeons, and after a long and draining battle, we defeated it. It exploded into light energy, and left Jecht kneeling on the ground, bloodied and tired. "I'm sorry." He said. Tidus ran to him and caught him before he toppled over. There was a brief moment where father and son just looked at each other, wordlessly. Then Jecht spoke. "You'll cry. You're gonna cry. You always cry. See? You're crying." Tidus wept for the loss of his father, despite all that Jecht had done. "I hate you, Dad." Those were the last words that Jecht ever heard. He perished in Tidus' arms.

Tidus pulled himself together and stood up. "Yuna..." "I know." I replied. I began to send Jecht, but in the middle of a twirl, I saw pyreflies rising from Auron's body. I wasn't the only one who saw it, either. "Don't stop. It's alright. This is your world, now." He said. So I finished my dance, leaving us without Jecht and Auron.

"There!" Wakka pointed to a strange bug-like creature flying towards us. Bahamut's fayth appeared in front of me. "Call us! Destroy us! It's okay. We want this." I had no time for sorrow. I rushed to summon Bahamut. Immediately, the creature, Yu Yevon's spirit, invaded Bahamut's mind. Bahamut began to attack us, and the others fended him off while I summoned Valefor...my first aeon, the one who began it all for me.

They fought, and Valefor was killed. I clenched my teeth as I summoned Ifrit, the aeon who we worked the hardest to receive, the aeon from Kilika. He defeated the weakened Bahamut, and then Yu Yevon's spirit possessed him. Ifrit began hurling fireballs at us, and I rushed in fear to summon Shiva, my Macalania aeon. She also died fighting Ifrit, and I called my last aeon, Ixion, the aeon from Djose. They died at the same moment, giving Yu Yevon no place to go.

The airship arrived, and we boarded the deck. I began to send my aeons and Yu Yevon, sadness enveloping me. We were inside Sin when it happened. Sin exploded into countless billions of pyreflies, sending a golden glow across all of Spira, announcing our eternal freedom from the cruel terror that Sin once brought.

I finished my sending, and we floated above the ocean. All was quiet and peaceful, except my thundering heart. I turned to look at Tidus. A blue glow, like that of pyreflies rippled across his body. Immediately, my eyes filled with tears, pouring relentlessly down my face. His own face was a mask of grief, reflecting the anguish that was consuming my soul.

All I could think about was the precious time spent with him on our journey. The first time I saw him on the steps of my home temple, the first time we spoke, the day he agreed to become my guardian, all the times he had comforted me, his stories of Zanarkand...His sweet kisses...

"No." I wept. He hung his head. "Yuna, I-I have to go. I'm sorry...I couldn't show you Zanarkand." He started to walk away. "You promised! You promised you would stay with me always!" He didn't stop, but his shoulders shook as he cried. I ran to him. He heard my footsteps and turned to catch me in his arms, but in a flash of blue light, I fell through him. My heart broke that day when I fell against the hard metal of the airship. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't do anything. He was lost to me, forever. There was one last thing I had to tell him. I stood, with my back to him. I steeled myself to say the last few words, the ones I had longed to utter for months. "I love you."

I couldn't see his face, but I heard his sobs and his translucent arms came around me, holding me from behind. "I love you too." He whispered into my ear. "But I-I have no choice." "I know." I whimpered. He stepped through me, taking half of my broken heart with him. He looked back at me, and I memorized his face, that last moment, to hold forever. Then he ran and threw himself off the airship, falling through the clouds and into the sea below. I went to my knees, wailing. I covered my face, my chest convulsing. I gasped for air, but none came to me. I reached for joy, but all I felt was sorrow. All I wanted was him.

Never in all my life had I felt so alone. I stood on the dock looking out over the ocean, whistling, imagining Tidus climbing out of the water, returning to me. He promised he would come running when I whistled. But I was left longing for what would never be. I cried all my tears until I had no more, and even then, I still wept. When Lulu came to me and told me, "It's time." I knew I had to stop. It was time for me to speak to the people of Spira, to tell them of the Calm that would last forever.

What's worse, it was at the Blitzball stadium that I would give my speech. It was as if someone ripped out what was left of my heart and stomped on it. I wiped my face dry, only to have it wetted again. Finally, I regained my strength, and managed to get through it without breaking down.

As I looked over the crowd, all I saw were smiles. Everyone wore a smile. I tried to emulate that wondrous glee, but I couldn't. "Everyone...everyone has lost something precious." I began. "Everyone here has lost homes, dreams, and friends. Everybody...now, Sin is finally dead." The roar of joyous cheers only emphasized my pain. It should have made me happy, to see them happy, but it didn't.

"Now, Spira is ours again. Working together...now we can make new homes for ourselves...and new dreams." I would never have another dream. Tidus was my one and only dream, my first love, and my last. "Although I know the journey will be hard, we have lots of time. Together, we will rebuild Spira. The road is ahead of us, so let's start out today." People clapped, women cried, children jumped up and down, men pumped their fists and yelled. I held my hands out and they quieted. "Just one more thing...the people and the friends that we have lost, the dreams that have faded...never forget them."

-The End-


End file.
